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Katie

Category Archives: Ideas

Inspiration: close to home.

27 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by Katie in Ideas, Inspiration

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

arizona, baseball, Diamondbacks, inspiration, Parker

I’ve spent the past two weeks looking at some pretty dismal health statistics for La Paz County. We are second worst in AZ for premature deaths (under the age of 75). We are the worst county when it comes to being physically inactive and excessively drinking. You are more likely to die in a motor vehicle crash in this county than most other counties in Arizona. Almost half of all families in La Paz are single parent families. We are the second worse for teen pregnancies (age 15-19). Almost 1 in 3 adults lack insurance and are obese. A few months ago I was presenting these statistics to a Rotary Club when someone chimed in with, “So you are saying that we are the oldest, laziest and drunkest count in AZ?” Well, we are also the poorest.

How depressing. How dismal and bleak. Why do we live here if it’s so bad? If these numbers are representative of who we are then what is our future going to be like? Statistically speaking, I am a single, obese mother who doesn’t get enough exercise. I will probably die of coronary artery disease before the age of 75 and I will likely die without insurance. OH MY GOSH! Why am I even trying to diet and exercise if this is my future here?

Because, it isn’t our future here.

Inspiration is in short supply. It’s rare. And, if you look at our statistics, we are not really being inspired to make healthy choices. No, I’m not going to get into work related stuff and talk about some of our fantastic programs like Healthy LA PAZ here on my blog. Instead, I’m going to talk about how a few people in our community were inspired to make a change and provide new opportunities in Parker, AZ.

As the poorest and second smallest county in AZ we often feel like we are left out of big, exciting things that happen across our state. March 25th, that all changed. That Monday I attended a dedication ceremony for a new baseball field in Parker, AZ. Not just any field but a brand new, professional, Little League approved, bare feet compatible, green, luscious Diamondback sponsored ball field.

Introducing the Aaron Hill field. Paid for by the Arizona Diamondbacks, APS and Aaron Hill himself.

Aaron Hill speaking to the Town of Parker.

Aaron Hill speaking to the Town of Parker.

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New Aaron Hill field

New Aaron Hill field.

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It's the greenest thing in Parker.

It’s the greenest thing in Parker.

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But what you don’t know is what it took to get this field. We all know grants and programs are hard to come by. The Arizona Diamondbacks have a give back program in partnership with APS, but it took the hard work and dedication of these people below to make it happen.

Town of Parker Council

Town of Parker Council.

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Over a year ago the Town of Parker council started working with the Diamondback foundation to get a new field for our youth. It didn’t look like it was going to happen when one of the players (Upton) passed up our town for a location in the city. As I was taking pictures of the event, I heard a comment about this lady here.

Town Council Member Marion Shontz.

Town Council Member Marion Shontz.

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She was thanked for her hard work and dedication to bringing in a ball field. Tenacity. Marion Shontz is a Town of Parker council member who fought for this field. Born and raised in Parker, AZ, a graduate of Parker High, she contributes to the improvement of our town. Marion Shontz is inspiring. She believes in giving back to the community and inspiring others to do the same. If you need an ounce of inspiration, look no further than your own community. It’s here and it’s growing faster than our health stats.

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PS: In full disclosure, Marion is my boss but has no idea I wrote this.

PPS: The ball field really is awesome.

Honestly, the best feeling grass in Parker.

Honestly, the best feeling grass in Parker.

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Does La Paz County need a farmers market?

11 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by Katie in Ideas

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

farmers market, food, gardening, gardens, inspiration, la paz county, local

DISCLAIMER: This post totally represents the ramblings in my mind and in no way reflects my very awesome employer.

Does La Paz County need a farmers market?

This is a question I’ve been asking myself for the past 10 years or so. Maybe not 10 years specifically but for as long as I’ve known about farmers markets and that has been at least 10 years. Consequently, I’ve been growing a garden with my mother for even longer but that’s another blog.

Also, I LOVE PINTEREST for their gardening pins.

So, does La Paz County need a farmers market?

The county health department (for whom I work) is embarking on a project that will look at what the health needs of the county are and how we, as a community, can help create a healthier La Paz County. Recently I watched the HBO special Weight of the Nation that was done in partnership with CDC.  Access to healthy fruits and vegetables were highlighted in the special. So here I was, still pumped up from watching the special and sitting in a planning meeting with my colleagues when I blurted out, “I would love to see a farmers market.” To which a colleague replied, “Vegetables at a farmers market aren’t any healthier than vegetables at the grocery store.”

And I love my colleagues for challenging me!

Those of you who know me, know that I like to get excited passionate about things that I believe in without necessarily researching them first. So I was caught. She was right. Also, my enthusiasm was a little crushed. Vegetables at a farmers market aren’t any healthier than vegetables at the grocery store. I fell victim to my biggest pet peeve: I didn’t research my opinions before I formed them and I really can’t stand it when someone tries to argue an unformed opinion. So I did what I should have done months ago… research. On a side note, I could have gone off on my theories that mass produced vegetables don’t have as high quality of nutrients as small produced vegetables and how Monsanto is an evil overlord but I don’t know if that has any truth to it or not.

Research:

I started with the American Journal of Health Education (AJHE) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC). The AJHE looked at farmers markets in rural settings in order to see the benefits to a community. One thing was certain; there wasn’t much research to start with. But there is a ton of information on the state of health in people in rural settings. If I was clever, I would do an inforgraphic titled State of the Health in La Paz County. But I’m not that clever so I will just ramble out some statistics.

Over 33% of U.S. adults aged [greater than or equal to] 20 years and almost 19% of U.S. children aged 6-19 years are obese. (1,2) The steep increase in the prevalence of obesity over the past several decades has become a considerable public health concern because of its association with serious, life-threatening illnesses. (3) People who are obese are at greater risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease; and obese children are becoming victims of these diseases that traditionally were seen in adults. (3,4)

Obesity disproportionately affects minority, low-socioeconomic-status (SES) and rural populations. (5,6) African American adults living in rural areas have the highest obesity prevalence rates of all groups studied. (5) American children living in rural areas are 25% more likely to be overweight or obese than children living in metropolitan areas. (7)

Why rural residence increases the risk for obesity is unclear. Rural communities tend to be populated by people who are at greater risk for obesity due to age and low SES. (8) On the other hand, the physical or structural environment of rural communities may present challenges to healthy levels of physical activity and good nutrition. (7,8)

All these statistics come from the AJHE study. But they are backed up by research our department has done and can be found here: http://www.lapazhospital.org/docs/2011LaPazCountyAssessment.pdf

So how does having a farmers market change this?

The study said, “Farmers’ markets are a potential evidence-based intervention for obesity prevention. Recent research has supported the potential for farmers markets to improve health outcomes, particularly among women(12) and children. (13) Also, the national effort to allow low-income community members to purchase food from farmers using their EBT cards demonstrates the support for farmers’ markets at the policy level. (20) Further, the lack of demonstrated relationships between demographic, income, and educational factors and farmers’ market participation(17) indicates a potential for participation among at-risk groups if farmers’ markets are promoted effectively. With the increasing popularity of farmers’ markets, health educators can make an impact on community health by collaborating with their local communities to initiate a farmers’ market.”

Even the study wasn’t very clear. CDC is just now starting to do studies that link farmers markets, increase in school healthy lunches and physical activities and community design to a decrease in obesity. For now CDC is promoting farmers markets, school lunch policies, PE, and healthy community design.

While CDC conducts their studies, I have a theory.

WARNING! This theory isn’t based on any scientific data. I made it up. WARNING!

When I go to the farmers markets in Phoenix, I’m excited to buy healthy food. I feel like I’m getting something special, something local, something no other community in Arizona has. It’s definitely something Parker doesn’t have. I’ve gone enough times to know which farms are selling and who’s produce I like better. If I want candy stripped beets, I know I can get them in the middle of the market. If I want sweet apples, I know I can get them right at the entrance. And, if I want to splurge on a hot dog from the Short Leash food truck, I know I will be getting a dog that was made by the local sausage shop Schreiners. (BTW, mom. This is where I get that yummy Linguisa).

When I come home with my bags of fruits and veggies and an occasional bar of soap made by a local artesian, I feel excited. I want to eat all my kale in one sitting and can the beets that I just picked up. I feel like I’m a part of the community. I feel more committed to eating healthy because I’ve invested more into my food. ISN’T THAT INSPIRING? It is for me.

Does La Paz County need a farmers market?

I’m going to say yes. I don’t feel that community pull when I shop for veggies at the grocery store. I’m not invested when I buy veggies at the local grocery store. Often, I don’t even eat what I buy. Yes, that is incredibly wasteful of me. And I know that in the smaller communities of Salome, Wenden, Bouse, Cibola, and Ehrenberg, fresh fruits and veggies are hard to come by. I know, I’ve tried to shop in Bouse. It’s just not there. Residents in the smaller communities shouldn’t have to travel an hour just to do grocery shopping when they can have access to healthy foods in their communities. Agriculture is La Paz County’s second largest economy (tourism is first), so why can’t we have more locally grown food being sold here?

Story

Let me leave you with one of my memories. This would be so much cooler if I had a pensieve. When I was a kid I spent most of my time on my Grandfather’s farm in the Parker Valley. He mostly grew alfalfa but there was a small spot of land towards the end of the farm that was partially shaded by a big tree and alongside the irrigation ditch. We grew all sorts of vegetables there but I especially remember the carrots. We would dig up a carrot and wash it off in the ditch and proclaim them to be the best carrots we ever ate. I’ve never eaten so many carrots in my life. We might not ever see a farmers market realized here in La Paz County and I’m OK with that. But if the community wants one, I will give my all in support.

REFERENCES

(1.) Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, et al. Prevalence and trends in obesity among U.S. adults, 1999-2008. lAMA. 2010;303:2235-241.

(2.) Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, et al. Prevalence of high body mass index in U.S. children and adolescents, 2007-2008. lAMA. 2010;303(3):242-249.

(3.) Koplan JP, Liverman CT, Kraak VI (eds.). Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press; 2005.

(4.) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. (NIH Publication No. 00-4084). Available at http://www. nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/prctgd_c.pdf. Accessed July 27, 2011.

(5.) Jackson JE, Doescher MP, Jerant AF, et al. A national study of obesity prevalence and trends by type of rural county. J Rural Health. 2005; 21(2):140-148.

(6.) Wang Y, Beydoun MA. The obesity epidemic in the United States–gender, age, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and geographic characteristics: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Epidemiol Rev. 2007;29:6-28.

(7.) Lutfiyya MN, Lipsky MS, Wisdom-Behounek J, et al. Is rural residency a risk factor for overweight and obesity for U.S. children? Obesity. 2007;15(9) :2348-2356.

(8.) Tai-Seale T, Chandler C. Nutrition and Overweight Concerns in Rural Areas: A Literature Review. Rural Healthy People 2010: A Companion Document to Healthy People 2010. Volume 2. College Station, TX: The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center, School of Rural Public Health, Southwest Rural Health Research Center; 2003.

(12.) Jilcott SB, Keyserling TC, Samuel-Hodge CD, et al. Linking clinical care to community resources for cardiovascular disease prevention: the North Carolina Enhanced WISEWOMAN project. ] Womens Health. 2006;15:56%583.

(13.) Leung CW, Laraia BA, Kelly M, et al. The influence of neighborhood food stores on change in young girls’ body mass index. Am ] Prey Med. 2011;41(1):43-51.

(17.) Blanck HM, Thompson OM, Nebeling L, et al. Improving fruit and vegetable consumption: use of farm-to-consumer venues among U.S. adults. Prey Chronic Dis. 2011;8:1-5.

(20.) Lock K, Pomerleau 1, Causer L, et al. The global burden of disease attributable to low consumption of fruit and vegetables: implications for the global strategy on diet. Bull World Health Org. 2005;83(2):100-108.

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Do you inspire?

24 Wednesday Aug 2011

Posted by Katie in Ideas

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

action, inspire, people

I’ve been thinking about inspiration lately. Where does it come from, who has it and how is it passed on? Does inspiration infect others like an outbreak of influenza or does it happen randomly, in spurts. Recently I’ve watched some inspirational individuals do things that are…inspiring! They’ve inspired me to create this blog, to organize others, to offer my services, to continue the inspiration. Sort of like the pay it forward movement. Inspire others movement? Yes, I think inspiration can be infectious.

I GOT A FEVER AND THE ONLY PRESCRIPTION IS MORE COWBELL!

So what is the formula for inspiration? I’m just rambling here since I don’t really know but I look for:

Ideas: something grand and attention getting.  Services: an expert offering their knowledge.  Selflessness: giving of time or money to help someone else.

Overall I’m inspired by positive, exciting people. People who have an idea and go for it. People who don’t say, “we can’t. I can’t. Why even try.” People who jump up and join and are excited to try something new.

There are some people who inspire me right here in Parker: Hemet Productions, Mary @ParkerAZ with Parker Chamber of Commerce, Josh Savino @bikerbachelor (Hemet and Biker Bachelor), Jeremy Davalos (young pilot).

There are people who inspire me from Arizona: @PIOGreg with his words, @hiBrie with her eat local campaign, @thefabulousone who donated a kidney, @caseargamez for using his profession to help others, the folks who organize and promote #buzzcation and the organizers of @gangplank

There are people who inspire me from all over: @monicavs for her love of the pre-raphaelites, my Uncle John who is my age but a plastic surgeon, @sweetsoaps for her crazy soap ideas, and the hundreds of people in the #agchat and #smem hashtags

But who am I inspiring? And who are you inspiring?

Do you have ideas? Let’s make the reality. Are you a professional? Do pro bono work.  Are you excited about something? Share with others, share with me, share with Parker but please… Share.

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Pushing Limits

11 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by Katie in Ideas

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

arizona, projects, stress

Yo Yo Yo! I’m pushing limits here. Yeah, it is not as cool as I just made it sound. What? I didn’t make it sound cool? Yeah, I know. Most of my coolness is found on other sites and copied on my twitter feed and facebook page and now here. But whatever, I’m still cool. A dork… a cool dork.

I’m nearing that fine line we call limits. When you think about it all the time and you start to feel a little (lot) stressed out and you are not sure if you are going to follow through. Oh please! I wish I was talking about a new sexual position or something but I’m talking about projects. Too. Many. Projects.

Work projects, family projects, social projects, town projects, personal projects. But yet I am feeling more alive than I have ever felt. Watch out rural Arizona, I’m feeling feisty and I’m out to change your world. Pshaw, I don’t care if you don’t want your world changed because I’m one fire. What? You want your world rocked? Well, that would be pushing my limits but…. OK!

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Some Fleshy Ideas

09 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by Katie in Ideas

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

idea, project

Yesterday I told someone I had some ideas to flesh out and I watched their face cringe a little. Gross huh? Fleshing out ideas. Each time I say it or hear someone else say “fleshing out an idea,” I have this mental picture of a woman in a white lab coat and safety goggles applying thick clay to a figure head. Like they do in CSI.

“Hm, yes, this fleshy idea looks good… oh wait, I don’t think I want this fleshy section right here. Yes this is better. This idea sure is fleshy.”

So, for the rest of the week I will work on fleshing out my ideas. I’m seriously considering making some paper mache heads since I prefer paper mache to thick clay. Pinata anyone?

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