The Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation is moving full speed ahead with their new Accelerate initiative, which focuses on improving community health and wellbeing. To present on their latest efforts, the foundation’s Senior Advisor on Healthy Communities Jesse Wolff took center stage at our meeting this week.
President Awesome opened our usual gathering in fine form and traditional fashion. Sharron Zimmerman offered a moment of gratitude and reflection which called our thoughts to service and community, and calmly centered our members for the remainder of our meeting. (Or at least until Cid Lamers or Randy Kamp yelled something from the back of the house.)
Music was performed by our Rotary Show Circus Chorus, who sang singalong snippets of many timeless favorites, including Build Me Up Buttercup, Da Doo Ron Ron and Everybody Needs Somebody to Love. By their conclusion, there wasn’t a still foot or silent voice in the house.
Our club was visited by two Outstanding Students of the Week from St. Francis. Following, Cindy Ruzak introduced our club's newest member, Dr. Andrew Gorecki of Superior Physical Therapy, winner of last year’s Chamber Small Business Celebration Award. Other announcements included an update on the progress of our centennial video and the need for Rotary Show cleanup volunteers this Monday, April 29th from 8 to 9:30am. (Those interested please contact Andrew Kohlmann)
In recognition for her years of service above self, our world-traveling, international development maven Marilyn Fitzgerald received one of our highest honors, the Red Rose, give to her by Ross Childs. Fitzgerald served as our club's first female president, serendipitously during Rotary International's centennial year. She also authored If I Had A Water Buffalo: How To Microfinance Sustainable Futures. Fitzgerald has and continues to work on a myriad of development projects, though generally, her passion is for micro-loan initiatives which elevate women in rural communities, Congratulations & thank you for your service, Marilyn.
Our main speaker was presented by his GTRCF colleague, the ever-jovial Steve Wade.
Wolff spoke succinctly and expertly on topics of community health and wellbeing ranging from the concept of health as a value to changing trends in the wellness field. (Like for example, the fact that there’s now a wellness field...) Items of particular import were availability and access; specifically how quickly they both drop off once one leaves the relative abundance of our region’s main urban area.
"How many of you have had trouble accessing medical services in our community?" Wolff asked the assembled movers and shakers. Tellingly, not a single hand raised. "No one?" He responded. "Well that's because you live in Traverse City." Wolff went on to enumerate on the health and wellness resource scarcity that pervades our outlying rural communities.
Growing health concerns in our region include weight, chronic disease, adolescent behavioral health, and the disparity between the number of patients per healthcare providers--according to Wolff one local county has a ratio of 25,000 to 1. Positive trends include a dramatic reduction in smoking, a relatively physically active population, a good, healthy food environment, and a rise in income equality.
Of our state’s 83 counties Leelanau ranks as the healthiest, followed by Grand Traverse (Antrim comes in at 17th, Benzie 18th, and Kalkaska 29th).
Interestingly, only 20% of a person’s overall is directly tied to health care. 40% results from socioeconomic factors like education, income, and family and social support. 30% is due to health behaviors such as diet and exercise. The remaining 10% is owed to an individual's physical environment.
Wolff concluded by answering audience questions on of balancing our regions many fine wineries with healthy alcohol consumption, making 8th street smoke free, and when it becomes time to transition from study to action.
