The West Central Food and Fitness team successfully planned and hosted a community basketball tournament recently. The tourney included teams from Upper Iowa University, West Central alumni and current players.

The West Central Food and Fitness team successfully planned and hosted a community basketball tournament recently. The tourney included teams from Upper Iowa University, West Central alumni and current players.

West Central Food and Fitness 4-H club members Kenzie Squires, Rachel Walenceus, Mary McDonough, and Lauren Fink recently delivered “Take a Break Bags” to area farmers during the busy harvest season. Continue reading
4-H Food and Fitness members gathered from 9 school districts around NE Iowa for the Regional Youth Leadership Team winter gathering on the Luther College campus this month. These youth and adults from area schools meet quarterly to learn about wellness issues in their communities, identify projects to help their school or community, and network by sharing experiences of their club projects and build ideas for future ones. Continue reading
February held an amazing experience for three students that were able to make the trip to Washington, DC for the 4-H Healthy Living Summit with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Region 4 Youth and Nutrition Coordinator Laura Liechty.
The school garden beds in Oelwein are blanketed in snow and ice, and the sub-zero temperatures today seem so distant from the heat and humidity of the Northeast Iowa summer. I have been filling up on roots: turnips, carrots, and potatoes. Storage crops grown by local farmers this past season are keeping me nourished and warm during this season of sleep. I am so lucky to have access to healthy, local food. I am so privileged to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. Continue reading
With the wrap-up of the school year comes the wrap-up of our Walking School Buses. We’ve had another successful WSB season in Northeast Iowa! Continue reading

Thanks for all your efforts to promote and support Safe Routes to School in Fayette County, Palmer Lutheran Health Services! Pictured: Jes Wegner, Jamie Hoey and Joann Boyer of Palmer Lutheran Health Services.
It’s National AmeriCorps Week!
If you’re not familiar with the AmeriCorps organization, what their members do, or why it matters, I would love to spread the word. Knowledge is power, people! Continue reading
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Keep a look out NE Iowa… I just met 25 amazing middle and high school students who want to address the health issues in their communities! Food insecurity, the imbalance of food distribution, poverty, access to healthy living environments, and … Continue reading
West Central CSD started an after-school Fitness Club for K-6th graders in November thanks to efforts by Jake Geis, AmeriCorps Service Member for West Central. Continue reading