COMMUNITY NEWS

Making good choices

Fitness, youth substance awareness, scholarships, parent support

THERESA BAER

TAKE THE 5210+ CHALLENGE THIS MONTH

The Healthy Kids 5210+ Challenge is an annual program held every February where students, school staff and parents keep track of their activity minutes and other 5210 healthy habits. Prize money is awarded to schools with the highest percentage of participants. This year, the Challenge goes online and participants will choose between printing logs to complete by hand or using a fillable PDF log to keep track of their 5210+ health habits on their computer. Participants achieving the minimum number of checkmarks will receive a free 5210+ Challenge t-shirt. Look to information from your school or learn more online at www.healthykidsclub.org.

S.N.A.P.P! SPRING SESSION CONNECTS TEEN GIRLS WITH THEIR PEERS

S.N.A.P.P! which stands Strength, Navigate, Advocacy, Purpose and Perseverance, provides a safe space for teenage girls in grades 7–12 to interact with their peers, ask questions while learning about the serious topics affecting teens today, and learn effective coping skills to deal with those challenges. Two 12-week sessions begin Monday, February 8 and Tuesday, February 9 and will take place in person from 7:15pm–8:45pm at 204 Walnut Street in Fort Collins. These sessions are free, but donations are accepted. Learn more and apply online to participate at www. snapp4teens.org.

YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE AWARENESS & DECISION-MAKING

Give your kids the skills to stop and think. Brainwise: The Ten Wise Ways is an hour-long session to learn the effects and impact of substances on young brains and discuss ways to avoid problems and make good decisions. Offered by Partners, these online sessions were designed for children aged 7–17 in conjunction with their parents or caregivers. These online sessions will be held via Zoom on Monday, February 8 and Tuesday, March 9 from 4–5pm. RSVP online at https://forms.gle/Z2EqLNhJ4NJUDJwa9 for the date of your choice to receive the appropriate Zoom meeting link. For further information, contact Katherine Chu of Partners at kchu@poweredbypartners.org.

FREE VIRTUAL FITNESS CLASSES FROM GREELEY REC

Last month, City of Greeley Recreation announced free virtual group fitness classes in an effort to “provide ways for the community to engage in behaviors that will benefit them both physically and emotionally… with little to no barriers.” Delivered via Zoom, these 45-minute (or less) classes do not require a Greeley Recreation membership, allowing anyone in the community, and from all fitness levels and abilities, to participate from home. Certified Greeley Recreation instructors will lead a variety of cardio and strength training classes including the popular yoga, Zumba, SilverSneaker Circuit and others. For a schedule of virtual fitness classes, visit https://greeleyrec. com/fitness-wellness/group-fitness. To enroll, email fitness@greeleygov. com for a weekly email that includes a Zoom link and information about the upcoming week’s classes.

SUPPORT FOR WELD COUNTY FOSTER, KINSHIP AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS

The Weld County Department of Human Services offers monthly opportunities to “connect with other foster parents, kinship caregivers, adoptive parents and childcare providers to share parenting strategies, successes and struggles with those who can relate.” Known as The Parent Café, these online support groups are available from 9am until noon on the third Wednesday of every month through June including: February 17, March 17, April 21, May 19 and June 16. Learn more and RSVP at www.weldgov. com/departments/human_services/ family_resource/parent_cafe. If you do

not have access to a computer to attend virtually, contact Tim Byrnes for other options at 970-616-8601.

ESCAPE FROM COVID MOUNTAIN

SummitStone Health Partners is offering some relief from the isolation and cabin fever of the pandemic with weekly virtual social hours, warmly referred to as “Escape from COVID Mountain.” Adult participants join via Zoom for a variety of free experiences such as games, travel, museum tours, animal habitats, history and more. You can choose to participate as you feel comfortable with audio only or video and audio. Look to the Colorado Spirit website at www.summitstonehealth. org/colospirit for a complete schedule of events and the Zoom link.

WINTER GARDENING WORKSHOPS GO VIRTUAL

Learn exciting gardening and horticulture tips from some of Colorado’s top experts in each field. Fort Collins Nursery presents 60-minute online winter workshops on Saturdays with two topics/events per week through March 6. At $12.50 each, you’ll gain new techniques and improve your gardening skills from the safety and comfort of your own home. Topics this month include food preservation, houseplant design, veggie gardening and seed starting basics, selecting and pruning small trees and shrubs, Chaparral gardening and miniature gardens and terrariums. Learn more and register online at www. FortCollinsNursery.com.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR LOCAL YOUTH

The Community Foundation of Northern Colorado works with generous donors to offer multiple scholarship opportunities to local students from Northern Colorado and the Eastern Plains. Scholarship opportunities range from $1,000 to $5,000 and the application cycle is open from January 15 through February 28. Applicants complete one application and will be matched automatically to the scholarships for which they qualify. To learn more and apply online by the February 28 deadline, visit www. nocofoundation.org/scholarships, or contact the scholarship team with questions via email at scholarships@ NoCoFoundation.org or by calling 970-488-1986.

LOVELAND REC TRAIL CONNECTOR IN PROGRESS

The City of Loveland recently began construction on the Copper Ridge Connector Trail that will be the “final link” in the City’s 21-mile trail circuit. This quarter-mile, 10-foot wide concrete trail connects the Copper Ridge subdivision just north of 57th Street and west of U.S. Highway 287 with the Sunset Vista Natural Area, providing a safer route for cyclists and pedestrians. It will feature a pedestrian bridge to access a new, soft-surface trail in the 87-acre natural area, and also provides access to the regional Long View Trail taking users north to Fort Collins. The anticipated completion is this coming June.