Star-Herald Pride 2014

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Pride

Lakota Hope A ray of light in a dark place

Healthy Lifestle

page 6

A STAR-HERALD PUBLICATION

WWW.STARHERALD.COM

CrossFit

Passion for beauty

Feeling young again

Bountiful Baskets

The Big Event

More than just pumping iron

Cleaning up the valley one project at a time

WNVH helps keep members active

Making fresh food more readily available

A way to give back

page 9

page 10

page 12

page 13

page 14

Courtesy photo

Cindy Francisco, stylishly dressed for competition.

Photos by Bart Schaneman

Todd Nordeen with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission spots a herd of bighorn sheep on the far edge of a bluff in Cedar Canyon.

Nordeen’s job keeps him on his toes

By BART SCHANEMAN Assistant Editor

A typical day for Todd Nordeen is rarely typical.

One day he might be in a sheep pen trying to figure out if it was coyotes or stray dogs that attacked a lamb. A nother day he could be tracking a stray moose. On yet another day he might be out in a field with firecrackers or flying low in an airplane to move pronghorns off of farmland.

And that’s just the way he likes it.

“Things like that come up,” Nordeen said. “ The job’s never dull.

There’s a variety of things. We’re just a phone call away from some kind of adventure.”

Nordeen, district wildlife manager at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Alliance office, manages half of north central Nebraska and the Panhandle.

A more-interesting-than-normal day came about in February when Nordeen and a large crew worked to relocate bighorn sheep from Scotts Bluff County to the Pine Ridge.

Nebraska Game and Parks Comm ission person nel c apt u red 52 bighorn sheep in the Hubbard Gap and Cedar Canyon areas. They used

Todd Nordeen’s laptop shows the movements of a bighorn ram in the Pine Ridge. Nordeen uses Google Earth along with a GPS collar to track sheep.

helicopters to net the sheep, then personnel vaccinated, tagged and tested the animals before trailering them up to Fort Robinson State Park and the Bighorn Wildlife Management Area.

The bighorns in northern Nebraska are considered at-risk because

of their susceptibility to disease.

Pasteurella pneumonia is believed to have killed half of the animals in the Pine Ridge herds during two major die -offs in 2005 and 2007, Nordeen said. “ Boom. Nex t t hing you k now NORDEEN, page 4

Nurse takes control of her life

By IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter

“You’ve got to take care of yourself,” said Cindy Francisco, registered nurse in health and wellness and lactation educator at Regional West Medical Center.

Heart problems run in Francisco’s family. It’s a history that shouldn’t be ignored.

Francisco always wanted to be a nurse. She spent a lot of time at the hospital with her maternal grandfather who had heart disease. He passed away in 1973 during open heart surgery.

Her mother also had a heart attack in her mid-60s.

Her father had a heart attack at age 50 and had Type 2 diabetes.

“His first bypass was at 50. I was in labor with my son at the same time and couldn’t be there for him. Seven years later, he needed another one. Those bad genes were passed to me,” she said.

Her father passed away at age 65.

On her 50th birthday, Francisco started thinking. She was drinking a six-pack of diet soda a day. It was time for a change.

“I tried to choose healthy habits, but knew the genes were there,” she said.

For Francisco, it was always in the back of her mind, but her motivation to get healthy because of her family’s health history didn’t fully take shape until 2009 when she began studying for her master’s degree.

“I went to get a master’s degree and was the heaviest I’d ever been, sitting at home, eating candy and cookies.

I thought, ‘Aren’t I a great example?’” she said.

During her studies, she made the decision to be healthier.

“I knew it. I knew the history, but seeing it again in my books and studies made me really think. I decided if I put as much energy into getting healthy as I did getting my master’s degree, I would be better,” she said.

Francisco changed her diet and started exercising.

“Sometimes, I’m told I’m a fanatic. I get up at 5 a.m.

FRANCISCO, page 2

Bike enthusiast shares his love of cycling

By BRANDON NELSON Staff Reporter

SIDNEY — A Sidney cycling enthusiast has taken the helm of a Panhandle-based bicycle coalition.

Garrett Olsen recently became president of the newly formed Western Nebraska Bicycling Club and has set his sights on encoura g i n g Ne b r a s Garrett kans to get out Olsen and ride.

T he club’s g rou ndwork is taking form and while Olsen said he is excited to see WNBC’s focus transition toward developing and promoting bicycle-related events, trail development and road improvements for western Nebraska cyclists, the group’s current purpose is to gather like-minded people and pool ideas, interest and expertise. “ We want to promote safety and get people enthusiastic about getting out on their bicycles,” he said.

Even though he has not been a club leader since he was a fifth-grader in 4-H, Olsen said

he is passionate about the club president position and he intends to fulfill it to the best of his ability.

“I’ve always wanted to start something like ( W NBC). It ’s kind of been in the back of my mind,” he said. “I think the Panhandle is thirsty for a club like this and I think that’s really going to show when the weather starts warming up this year.”

Olsen grew up south of Potter, where bicycling was an integrated part of family life. In addition to his fond memories of cycling trips to Winter Park, Colo., he said he vividly recalls the bumpy bike rides across the pastures of the family farm.

“Bikes were so rigid back then.

The technology has come a long way,” he said. “But even back then, I loved biking.”

Nowadays, Olsen is the proud owner of about 15 bicycles, each of which is outfitted to conquer sp eci f ic ter ra i n. He sa id he embraces every type of riding, whether it’s beating the pavement on a road bike or rolling over rocks and ravines on a mountain bike.

His girlfriend, Jennifer, and his four kids, Josh, Jenny, Jakob and Courtesy photo Joab, all share in his passion to some extent, he said.

Western Nebraska Bicycling Club President Garrett Olsen’s girlfriend, Jennifer Wilson, left, and Ben OLSEN, page 3 Darling pedal along a road near Sidney.

Pride

2 Saturday, March 22, 2014

Star-Herald

FRANCISCO: Nurse takes control of her life Continued from page 1 and go spinning, but it ’s good being in a routine.

T here a re other people there at the same time. It kind of becomes your social time and people notice when you’re not there,” she said.

In the past, Francisco had tried many diets in an effort to lose weight.

“I’ve been on every type of diet and had a personal trainer. It boils down to what you put in your mouth. W hen I don’t eat sugar, I feel bet ter and healthier,” she said.

Fra ncisco has lost 30 pounds si nce cha ng i ng her eating habits.

“I don’t drink juices. I eat lots of green, leafy vegetables. I eat fish a couple of times a week, chicken, pork, not much red meat, protein and peppers,” she said.

Francisco sa id eat ing hea lt hy a nd exerc isi ng helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

“It also releases endorphins after running,” she said.

She began running last year.

“Any exercise is good as long as you do something,” she said.

Francisco began training to run in March 2013 f o r t h e R e g i o n a l We s t Boxer Rebellion 5k run.

She ran in a rainbow tutu and has been running ever since.

“I participate in a different 5 or 10k each month,” she said.

In her free time, Francisco loves to travel, mostly to Arizona where the weather is warmer. She also spends t i me w a l k i n g w it h he r Yorkie, has taken up golf and loves church. “ S pi r it ua l g row t h is good,” she said.

Part of Francisco’s desire to stay healthy comes f rom remember i ng t he times her father spent with her children. She wants to be involved in her grandchildren’s lives.

“I have four grandsons.

T here’s not h i ng bet t er than grandkids,” she said.

K now ing her age a nd family histor y motivates Francisco to stay on track. “ I k now I c a n’t stop at t wo pieces of Tootsie Rolls,” she said.

Courtesy photos

ABOVE: Cindy Francisco poses in her outfit for the Boxer Rebellion race.

LEFT: Francisco enjoys a moment during race day.

Let us help with your advertising needs.

Call 308-632-9020 for assistance.

Francisco said it’s a good idea to take a bite of some sweet and put it down. Savor it. Then, walk away.

“I had a diet pop recently. I used to love them. Now they taste nasty,” she said.

Fra ncisco sa id t a king care of yourself is a choice. “ Ta ke cont rol of your life. The earlier you start, the earlier you st ar t on your future,” she said.

Not a Star-Herald subscriber? Call 308-632-9010 to sign up.

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 22, 2014 3

OLSEN: Bike enthusiast shares his love of cycling Continued from page 1 He’s pedaled for many miles at a time, but Olsen said he set a personal record when he completed a portion of the 180 -mile Odin’s Revenge gravel and dirt road race in Gothenburg last year. He covered about 55 miles before the course’s formidable, rolling hills subdued him.

“That area is not flat at all. There were a lot of hills to climb and I was not prepared for that,” he said.

W hile t a k ing a not her stab at the race may be still be in his future, Olsen said he just plans on volunteering at one of the race’s check stations for the 2014 event.

W hen he’s not riding, Olsen works as a pre-media specialist for Cabela’s, processing the images that appear in the company’s catalogs. He found the job after spending some time studying art and computer degrees at the University of Nebraska-Kearney and he has been at it for 17 years.

“I loved the Photoshop part of the courses I was taking and I get to use that here. It’s a good job,” he said.

Recently, WNBC memb e r s h ave b e e n p or i n g over the possibilities for transforming western Nebraska into a hub for bicycle culture. The club is gaining momentum and Olsen said he hopes to see the group stay proactive, grow and develop the ability to positively influence the current difficulties local cyclists are facing, including dilapidated or non-existent road shoulders.

There is plenty of work to be done. Each year, the League of American Bicyclists assesses the bicycle friendliness of all 50 states, and at No. 41, Nebraska landed near the bottom of the list last year.

Western Nebraska Bicycling Club President Garrett Olsen’s son, Joab, races along a mountain path. Olsen said his girlfriend, Jennifer, and his four kids, Josh, Jenny, Jakob and Joab, all share in his passion for cycling to some extent.

The league ranks each st at e ba s ed on how it s legislation, programs, infrastructure and education accommodate cyclists as well as how each state factors cycling into its yearly planning. The Cornhusker State currently edges out South Dakota, but it falls f l at when c omp a re d t o neighboring Colorado, the second most bicycle-friendly state in the country.

W hile lobby ing for change may be in WNBC’s future, the club is mainly considering local matters for now. Some of the talking points at the club’s monthly meetings have included ways to enhance tourism efforts and existing cycling events, such as the Bike Ride Across Nebraska and

the YMCA’s annual Y Not Ride. Club members have also highlighted nearby riding paths and pointed each other to prime places for possible trail development in the Wildcat Hills, Buffalo Creek Wildlife Manage ment Area, Cedar Canyon and other Platte River Basin Environment lands.

Right now, the group is just focused on having a good time, Olsen said.

“It’s a brand new club and there are a lot of big hopes, but right now we’re just looking to get more people involved, so we can all get together and have some fun,” he said.

To l e a r n m o r e a b out W N BC, v isit t he club’s Facebook page at w w w. facebook.com/wnbclub.

Courtesy photos

ABOVE: Olsen owns about 15 bikes. Each one is outfitted to conquer specific terrain, including mountain, gravel and paved trails.

LEFT: Olsen grew up south of Potter, where bicycling was an integrated part of family life. In addition to his fond memories of cycling trips to Winter Park, Colo., he said he vividly recalls the bumpy bike rides across the pastures of the family farm.

4 Saturday, March 22, 2014

Pride

Star-Herald

NORDEEN: Man’s job keeps him on his toes Continued from page 1 they’re tipping over,” he said.

Nordeen’s still trying to determine why. There are a lot of different challenges and variables to figure out, he said.

Tw o h u n d r e d y e a r s ago, bighorn sheep were ever y where in the western United States. Some e s t i m a t e s p l a c e d t he i r population at more than 2 million. By around 1900, hunting, competition from ranching and diseases had decreased the population to several thousand.

But t h i ngs st a r ted to c h a n g e , a n d w i t h he l p from the Western states, Nebraska was able to bring a few sheep back. “ L aws were put into place so it isn’t just the Wild West out there,” Nordeen said.

Repopulat ion ef for ts began in 1981, when the NGPC released a dozen bighorns into a 500 -acre enclosure at Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford.

Several bighorn re-introductions followed, with 22 sheep from Colorado being released in the Cedar Canyon Wildlife Management A rea south of Ger ing i n 2 0 01, 49 sheep f rom Montana being relocated to the Bighor n W ildli fe Ma na gement A rea east of Crawford in 2005 and 51 bi ghor n she ep f rom Montana being released in the eastern Wildcat Hills south of McGrew in 2007.

After the relocation process, some of the sheep were f it ted w ith GP S collars. From his desk in Alliance, Nordeen can pull up Google Earth and track exactly where a single ram has traveled.

The information updates three times a day.

“We keep a close eye on them,” Nordeen said.

T he expensive GP S collars are new technology. They use more of the old stand-by VHF collars with directional antennas, which require more legwork to use, to track the sheep.

“Some days they’re hard to find,” he said. “They can give you the slip.”

Nordeen has extensive help from personnel, but he’s done plent y of field work himself. “ I ’ve da r ted probably over 100 sheep over my career here,” he said, adding that bighorns are not to be treated lightly.

“As tame as they sometimes seem, they are still a wild animal,” he said. “You gotta use some common sense around them.”

The relocation required a large ef for t f rom Nordeen and the other NGPC personnel. “ It ’s a n enor mous amount of preparation,” he said.

Nordeen’s focus includes w i l d l i fe r e s ou r c e s a nd public lands. Nebraska has an abundance of big game — elk, mule deer, whitetailed deer, the aforement ioned bighor ns, pronghorn, turkey and mountain lions — as well as other upland species and water fowl that fall under the purview of the NGPC. A significant part of the job involves collecting population data on these animals and other research.

“Research is a par t of ma nagement ,” Nordeen said.

His of fice oversees 35 wildlife management areas, about 56,000 acres, not counting national forest service land.

Aside from research and data collection, the NGPC also per for ms habit at planting, weed control and forest and grassland management . T hey conduct food ef for ts to keep the wildlife in the area, “so we don’t have to deal with depredation,” Nordeen said.

In the case of the pronghorns mentioned above, or when deer or elk are feeding on a hay stack, the NGPC provides ranchers and farmers with materials to keep animals off property.

“The first thing we do is try to incorporate hunting i nto t he m i x ,” Nordeen said.

He takes calls on sick or injured deer and performs

Photos by Bart Schaneman

Bighorn sheep look down from a bluff in Cedar Canyon.

tests to determine cause of death.

T he NGPC pushes for the natural recovery of a species.

In addition to the bighorn capture, NGPC has performed an elk capture near Valentine and they are tracking behavior and movement d ist r ibut ion.

Nordeen sa id t here a re around 30 elk in the area and they’ve radio-collared 10.

L a t e l y, t h e y ’ v e b e e n tracking mule deer. That s u r vey w r a p p e d up re cently.

Nordeen, who lives in A lliance, came to the agency 24 years ago. He’s or ig i na l ly f rom S t . E d ward, Neb., and received his Bachelor of S cience degree in wildlife management from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After UNL, he received his master’s in the same subject from Chadron State College. He started with the NGPC in Tecumseh, Neb., as a wildlife biologist and Todd Nordeen shows the directional antenna he uses to track bighorn sheep in Cedar Canyon. moved to the Panhandle 15 years ago.

He received the Wildlife Biologist of the Year award from the Midwest AssociDo you have ation of Fish and Wildlife something to sell?

Agencies in 2007.

Call 308-632-9020 In Apr il, the NGPC for assistance. w ill conduct prescr ibed burns, working on habitat enhancements, continuing food plots and working on fence maintenance.

Michael Moravec PT, DPT

We strive to serve our customers! ... and to build products that we can be proud of.

Our goal is to be known as a builder of the highest-quality steel buildings, with a reputation for support after the sale.

We use the latest technology to develop our products and meet the appropriate codes & load specifications.

Bob Wieck PT, DPT

Austin Freeburg ATC

Lisa Todd PTA

Josh Hill PTA

Providing treatment for myofascial pain for all ages including: • Low back pain • Neck pain • Headaches • Plantar fasciitis • Piriformis Syndrome • Shoulder pain • Tennis elbow Gering Hours of Operation: M-F 7am-6pm.

Same Day Appointments!

Walk-ins Welcome!

We accept Medicare, Medicaid, Workers Compensation, and all other insurances.

www.monumentpt.com

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 22, 2014 5

Prevention training targets type 2 diabetes

By MARY WERNKE For the Star-Herald

Often, losing weight is about fitting into a new outfit or impressing the mean girl at a high school reunion. But for some 300 individuals attending diabetes prevention training in locations across the Panhandle, the two goals of losing weight and being more active had more to do with reducing the risk for type 2 diabetes.

Ty p e 2 d i a b e t e s i s c a us e d by h a v i n g t o o much sugar in the blood.

Often, a health care provider will refer patients to the diabetes prevention t r a i n i n g, but i n ot he r i nst a nc e s , i nd iv idua ls Patty Cowher choose to attend based on a survey showing they are at risk for diabetes because of a sedentary lifestyle that includes poor food choices, high in calories and fat. Participants often measure success in weight loss, however, with a 7 percent loss attributed to healthy eating and 150 minutes of brisk physical activity each week.

For Patty Cowher, it was about watching family members suffer from type 2 diabetes — taking loads of insulin, becoming legally blind and losing the circulation in their extremities, with one family member finally suffering a heart attack. Cowher said she knew she was pre-diabetic, but before she became diabetic, she wanted to become proactive — getting the proper diet and exercise in her life.

Of course, the weight loss isn’t bad.

Cowher said she has lost 35-40 pounds and her husband not only noticed, he decided to join her. He has already lost 70 pounds.

The couple adopted the lifestyle change beginning with a food diary, one of the critical components to the program. According to the Kaiser Permanent Center for Health Research, writing down what you eat will double your chance for success.

Cowher said she chose to use the paper diary offered by the lifestyle coaches, while her husband chose to go with an online version. “He even had to have a new smart phone to use the app all the time,” Cowher added. He included My Fitness Pal on his Thanksgiving list of “things to be thankful for this year.”

Cowher said eating healthier has not made her a food Nazi with friends. “When I go to book club or play bridge, I eat the snack or dessert the hostess offers,” Cowher added. “But at home, we always stick to the lower calorie, lower fat meals. “I just feel healthier,” she said. Her new goal is to weigh the same as when she got married.

Sue Steele is the outpatient diabetes education coordinator with Box Butte General Hospital. On the doorway to her office is a poster with a huge railroad locomotive barreling down on her client.

“Many people think diabetes isn’t a big deal. Until it hits you.” the poster reads.

Steele agreed, “A lot of people with diet and exercise problems ignore the possibility of diabetes, until it hits them and they’re on insulin.”

Steele said while type 2 diabetes is preventable, type 1 diabetes is totally different. “It is an autoimmune disease, once known as juvenile diabetes. Type 1 diabetes includes a profound insulin deficiency and those diabetics take insulin from the beginning.”

T he Nat iona l Diabetes P revent ion Program has been ver y successful in the Panhandle. Since the first classes in September and October of 2012, 32 lifestyle coaches have been trained and 35 classes have been offered, including six classes at worksites. Three classes were offered in Spanish, with 294 individuals taking the training across 11 counties before this year. More than 4,200 hours of class time were logged in 2012 and 2013, NDPP Organizer Tabi Prochazka of Panhandle Public Health District said.

Rebecca Frankes of Sidney is another National Diabetes Prevention Program success story. Frankes said a history of diabetes in her family made her sit up

and take notice when an e-mail circulated at her workplace about the prevention program.

Frankes said the 16 -week program, followed by monthly meetings for the rest of the year, got her in the right habits of not dieting, but changing her eating habits. She introduced more fruits and vegetables into her meal plan, drank more water and gave up pop completely.

Another lesson learned for Frankes was portion control.

Kristin Kestersen, registered dietitian at BBGH, offers tips like using the right measuring tools to be sure your serving sizes match those you record in your food diar y. Once the par ticipant has discovered the problem foods in their regular diet, they have three choices to eat less fat and fewer calories, she said: eat foods high in fat or calories less often, eat smaller amounts of high-calorie foods or to eat lower-fat and lower-calorie foods instead.

“I’m able to keep up with my grandkids more,” Frankes said. “I can be active and spend time with my family.” She’s also begun sharing her lessons learned with co -workers and carpool buddies. Her department at Cabela’s used to have ice cream cake for birthday parties. Now they serve a veggie tray. The woman she shares a ride to work with downloaded the Lose It app and lost seven pounds, by recording what she ate and when she exercised, Frankes said.

Deb Hendersen sa id she l ikes t he exercise component of the program, as well. “I didn’t have to break my butt to get in 30 minutes a day,” Hendersen said.

When the weather turned bad during the middle of the program, Hendersen started walking indoors at the school gym in Hemingford.

Hendersen sa id her g ra ndmot her, daughter and several uncles have diabetes. Her wakeup call was when she frequently began to feel dizzy and had high blood sugar. Her health care provider, Britany Bauer, said she had to do something or she would be in trouble, but after six weeks on her own, she hadn’t lost any weight.

W hen she hea rd about t he N DPP program at Panhandle Public Health District in Hemingford, she was excited. “It was free and it was right here in town,” she said. Hendersen’s cholesterol went down, as did her A1C diabetes risk profile. Her glucose levels are now normal and her blood pressure is down.

Denise James of Chadron said she was alerted to elevated levels of glucose when she went in for pre-op tests before knee replacement surgery. “My PA told me to pay at tention,” she said. High blood sugar affects blood vessels, eyes, heart, liver and kidneys. With advanced diabetes, it can affect your circulation and lead to amputation.”

James’ health care provider sent her home with a glucometer and, after the surgery, she started the NDPP program at Prairie Pines in Chadron. Her coach Photo by Mary Wernke Tami Dierks told her she need to lose 19Deb Hendersen said she cut out fat completely.

My goal was to lose 21 pounds, but I 20 pounds more, in addition to the nine lost 25, she said.

I did gain three pounds at Christmas, but I was still under my goal. pounds she’d lost after surgery. Because she was monitoring her glucose levels daily, she was inspired by the immediate results there.

Not a Star-Herald subscriber? Call 308-632-9010 to sign up.

“I learned to forgive myself when I st umbled a nd my weight or glucose level went up a little,” the 80 -year-old line-dancing teacher said. “Tomorrow I begin anew.”

James said she allows herself a treat like ice cream or “real” bacon once a week to satisfy her cravings and so she doesn’t feel depr ived. Ja mes suf fers from osteoarthritis. With both knees replaced, it’s important to stay active, she said.

Kestersen said the coaches at BBGH are on their fourth series of NDPP classes. “The yearlong program has given participants the opportunity to learn about and practice lifestyle modification that results in weight loss and a decreased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. “ We have seen some great success stories. It is very exciting to be a part of helping people change their lives.”

We are Family.

On the surface, Kelley Bean is an employee and family owned company founded in 1927 that processes and sells the dry edible beans which are sourced directly from its local community of grower partnerships.

But beneath the standard company bio, We Are... Something More.

There is a humanity to our work where care and concern for our growers, our employees, and our customers is likened to that of an extended family. We have a strong commitment to quality and safety and their relation to the Kelley family name and the family names of our employees.

There is a rare authenticity here where trust, reliability, history, and values still hold meaning. We choose our relationships carefully as the investment in our relationships represents long term thinking - long term thinking over generations. We invest in the numerous small communities around the country we call home and our employees wear such hats as mayor, city councilman, Chamber of Commerce President, and hospital board member among others.

Agriculture is the root of our success and our employees provide the strength for our continued growth. The success of our customer is the fruit of our labor. We are dedicated to safely and affordably feeding the World, our community, and you.

www.kelleybean.com

Pride

6 Saturday, March 22, 2014

Star-Herald

A ray of light in a dark place

By BART SCHANEMAN Assistant Editor

WHITECLAY — To step into the Lakota Hope Ministry in Whiteclay is to experience a sharp contrast to the surroundings.

T he peacef ul log cab in-style building sits just at the edge of a rundown stretch of businesses selling alcohol to intoxicated Native A mericans who stumble over stray dogs sleeping in the street. “ G o d ’s p e a c e is he r e where 200 to 300 feet over there has been a heyday for the devil,” said Bruce BonFleur, director of the Lakota Hope Ministry. “Morally it’s as dark as it gets.”

Lakota Hope, formerly k now n as t he A BOU T Group, is a Christian service ministry based in Whiteclay.

Bruce and Marsha BonFleur have been in the area for 10 years. They spent three years on the Pine Ridge reservation before being called back to Whiteclay, where they say God asked them to “put my light here.”

They first lived in a farmhouse near Whiteclay and raised and schooled their children in Rushville.

In 2004, the BonFleurs opened a thrift store selling essentials in an old building in W hiteclay, called 555 Whiteclay. Bruce said they saw firsthand the troubles alcohol has brought to the Native American population.

With 83 percent of the adults on the Pine Ridge Reservation suffering from alcoholism, the BonFleurs dealt with “everything you can imagine with the over-consumption of alcohol,” including witnessing dead people on the street, men with their legs crushed, stabbings and training for prostitution.

Bruce pointed out that t here a re hundreds of laws broken every day in Whiteclay, many regarding alcohol.

The BonFleurs are doing what they can to help the people that need it.

For ex a mple, Ma rsha once spent five days helping one woman. She fought to get her admitted to a hospital and to make sure she received treatment.

A f ter all that, Marsha still wasn’t sure the woman would be OK. “The draw to come back to the street is very powerful,” she said.

The BonFleurs said it’s difficult to develop relationships with the professionals on the reservation. They don’t find many long-term physicians or teachers.

“They pay off their student loans and then they leave,” Marsha said.

Marsha focuses on her relationship with the people, spending time in prayer and worship.

She often serves breakfast in the morning to reach through the alcohol. She said God told her to get them

Photo by Bart Schaneman

Marsha and Bruce BonFleur run the Lakota Hope Ministry on the southern edge of Whiteclay. The couple say they have been called by God to help the Native Americans in the area who suffer from alcoholism.

when they’re not drunk.

We a t h e r p e r m i t t i n g, they serve breakfast twice a week all year. When the snow is too deep and the people on the street are unwilling to walk down to their greenhouse for a meal, Marsha makes pots of coffee and sandwiches and takes them up.

“It’s difficult to talk to people about God when they’re starving,” she said.

The call from God the BonFleurs heard that led

Celebrating 20 Years in Business!

them to Whiteclay included a message to “help restore dignit y to my people” through creation of jobs, Bruce said.

He added that God established work as a blessing “so you can support yourself and your family.” To his mind, the situation on the reservation and the alcohol on Whiteclay takes away t he Na t i ve A m e r i c a n s ’ opportunit y to work (83 percent on the reservation are unemployed) and takes

Cinda Munoz 631-5440

EXPERIENCED REAL ESTATE AGENTS WHO CAN HELP YOU BUY OR SELL YOUR PROPERTY

LOOKING FOR PROPERTY IN THE WESTERN NEBRASKA AREA? CONTACT THESE PROFESSIONALS TODAY:

Cinda Munoz Donna Garl, GRI Bob Hergenreder 641-3231 GRI, Broker 631-5440 631-1576 Alliance

OR IN THE SIDNEY, NEBRASKA AREA CONTACT:

Michelle Konz Amanda White Brandy Sullivan 308-249-7416 308-249-7591 308-250-0507 WWW.CALLBUYERSREALTY.COM 818 Ave B, Scottsbluff

away their language.

W he n t he B on F leu r s came into town, they said, they didn’t come in condem n i ng, t hey c a me i n tr y ing to be par t of the community and focused on being good neighbors.

A long w ith the minis try building, which is the original bake shop where Anne’s Lil Log Cabin used to be (the owner of that bake shop left during the riots of ’99) they’ve built an open-air praise and wor-

ship center, a 40-tree fruit orchard and a greenhouse where they feed the hungry on their 5.5 acre lot.

Marsha pointed out that every Tuesday night in the summer, people who make crafts set up on the grounds of the center. The multiple mission teams on the reservation are invited, everyone shares a meal and people can buy souvenirs. They also have a band, praise and worship, and it’s all open to the public.

They can see up to 300 people in one night.

“It’s just so cool to see those walls come down for a couple of hours,” Marsha said.

T he BonFleurs moved into a house on the property in October and neither of them feel unsafe living that close to desolation row.

Most people are fearful of Whiteclay, Bruce said.

“People are afraid to drive through here,” he added.

The Lakota Hope Ministry is trying to change that image.

“This remains a black eye on the state,” Bruce said, yet adding that people in the U.S. have a heart for the Pine Ridge.

T he Bon F leurs have worked with the Nebraska C om m i s s ion on I nd i a n A ffairs, Grow Nebraska, ReTree Nebraska, the Attorney General’s Office, Sen. Al Davis and Keep Nebraska Beautiful.

B r uc e s a id p e ople i n the area want to help the “wounded spirits.”

Jason Funk, a pastor in Rushville who was visiting the BonFleurs on Thursday, Feb. 20, spoke about the spiritual darkness of Whiteclay. “ It ’s such a beaut i f ul drive here, then it’s scary,” he said.

Marsha said the prob lems Nat ive A mer ic a ns exper ience a re mostly unknown to much of the country.

“I don’t think most of the U.S. knows what it’s like here,” she said. “They don’t know what the government has done, which has been to assi m ilate t hem into their culture, which has not worked.”

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 22, 2014 7

New superintendent works to bring back beauty of Chadron State Park

By BART SCHANEMAN Assistant Editor

CH A DR ON — I n A u gust 2012, as a fire raged a nd t h reat ened t o con sume Chadron State Park, firefighters worked to set back fires and a controlled bu r n t hat scorched t he park but saved the buildings and equipment.

S i nc e t he n , t he p a r k st a f f has been work i ng to rebuild and bring back the beauty of Nebraska’s oldest park.

“The aesthetic value is still wonderful out here,” said Gregg Galbraith, the n e w s u p e r i nt e n d e nt a t Chadron State Park. “The fire got rid of a lot of the dense trees, but it’s still a beautiful park.”

Galbraith of Louisville, who has worked for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission since 1994, has been named the new sup er i nt endent of C SP. He began his new duties March 10.

Galbraith was assistant superintendent at Platte R iver St ate Pa rk for 13 years. A native of Crete, Galbraith earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resources from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in December 1993.

He got h is st a r t w it h the commission as a g r o u n d s ke e p e r a t M a hone y S t a t e P a r k ne a r Ashland in 1994. He soon advanced to the position of Mahoney’s groundskeeper sup er v isor, a job he had for seven years before mov i n g t o P l at t e R iver State Park.

Galbraith will transition to his new duties by alternating weeks between Platte River and Chadron State Park. In mid-May, he will be at Chadron full time.

Galbraith and his wife Jennifer have a daughter, K a y l e y, 11 , a n d a s o n , Caden, 9. The new superintendent succeeds Dave Kinnamon, who was hired late last summer to be superintendent at Lewis and Cl a rk S t at e R e c re at ion A rea a f t er si x yea r s at Chadron.

This is Galbraith’s first superintendent position.

“It ’s a wonder f ul park here,” he said.

He’s more used to the forests with mainly deciduous trees in eastern Nebraska, but said, “conifers are pretty neat.”

T he pa rk was est ab l i s h e d i n 1 9 2 1 . A t 9 74 acres, the park contains a m o de r n c a m p g r ou nd and 16 cabins. Activities i nclude sw i m m i ng i n a reg ulat ion - si zed pool, horseback riding, archery, Frisbee golf, hiking, tennis, sand volleyball and f ishing. Chadron Creek runs through the park.

One of the main challenges for a park superintendent is population. Not being close to any major urban areas, such as Lincoln or Omaha, makes it more dif f icult to at tract people to the park.

Some of the park’s major activities are the free park day on May 17 and Memorial Day, where park-goers can visit the trading post, go o n h o r s e r i d e s a n d swim in the pool.

T hey ’ ll also celebrate June 14, the 93rd anniversary of the park with activities and events. “ My pla ns a re just to get more people involved,” Galbraith said.

Galbraith plugged the naturalist program, where more people in the college and the communit y can learn more about history and what goes on in the area.

The plan is to offer nature hikes, bat and buffalo prog ra ms, a nd possible bighorn sheep or mountain lion programs.

Galbraith wants to promote more activities in the winter as well as using the trading post, little snack s hop , a nd a r che r y a nd muzzle-loader facilities.

He mentioned that the group lodge is under-util i z e d . It ’s a g re a t a re a for me et i ng s , comp a ny events, get-togethers, family reunions and weddings, Galbraith said.

But right now he’s fo cusing on dealing with the issues caused by the fire as well as storm cleanup f r o m l a s t f a l l ’s w i n t e r storm Atlas.

Galbraith said there is plenty of tree work. There

a re ma ny bra nches a nd trees themselves that need to be cleaned and thinned.

“We’re cleaning a lot of the dead trees,” he said, add i ng t hat de ad t re es are a hazard for lightning strikes. Work crews are burning slash piles.

T he park staf f has no def inite plans for t ree - pla nt ing act iv it ies, but they hope to do some new planting and get some families of volunteers and scouts.

More than anything he’s tr ying to make the park usable.

The park will also make improvements on cabins.

Galbraith said he wants to get families and groups out to the park to enjoy it, to get an active interest.

“It ’s a lot of work,” he said. “I hope we get some moisture in the summer, and it stays nice and green.”

Courtesy photo

New Chadron State Park superintendent Gregg Galbraith

Choose from a variety of stone shapes and colors to find the match that best coordinates with your home.

308-632-2143 800-446-7147

www.carrtrumbull.com

1310 Circle Drive, Scottsbluff Mon–Fri 7:30 AM – 5:30 PM Sat 8 AM – 2 PM

8 SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2014

1st Presbyterian ChurchScottsbluff 1st United Methodist Church-Gering 1st United Methodist Church-Scottsbluff 23 Club Baseball Adopt a School Westmoor Albin Community Center Alliance Chamber of Commerce Alliance High School Alliance High School-FFA Alliance Public Schools Foundation Assumption- Greek Festival Banner County High School Banner County High School Foundation Banner County High School FFA Bayard High School Bayard High School FFA Bethel#12-Jobs Daughters-Kimball Boy Scouts Longs Peak Council Boy Scouts-Troop 3 Spaghetti Feed Box Butte County 4-H Council Box Butte County Ag Society Box Butte County Livestock Sale Box Butte Development Corporation Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce Bridgeport Ducks Unlimited Bridgeport High School Bridgeport High School FFA Broadwater VFD Burns High School Burns High School FFA Bushnell Lions Club Carpenter Center CASA of Scottsbluff Cedar Canyon School Booster Club Central Church of Christ-Gering Cheyenne County 4-H Council Cheyenne County Livestock Sale Christmas in the Valley Community Christian School Congregational Church of Torrington Cooperative Ministries-Back Packs Dalton Fall Festival Ducks Unlimited Eastern Wyoming College Eastern Wyoming College Lancer Club Eastern Wyoming Foundation Emmanuel Congregational-Scottsbluff Faith Luthern Preschool-Gering Farmer’s Day Golf Tournament-Kimball Farmer’s Day Hamburger Feed-Kimball Farmer’s Day Pancake Breadfast-Kimball Farmer’s Day Off Golf Sponsor FCA Western Nebraska Festival of Hope Foster Grandparent Program-CAPWN Foster Parent Program Friends of the Midwest Theater Geil Elementary-Gering Gering Convention and Visitors Bureau Gering GO Baseball Gering High School Gering High School Booster Club Gering Legion Baseball Gering Wrestling Club Gering Zion Church & Joyful Noise Day Care Get Fit Challenge Girl Scouts Golden Halo Foundation Goshen Cattle Women Goshen County 4-H Councill Goshen County 4-H Foundation Board Goshen County Chamber of Commerce Goshen County Development Corp Goshen County Fair Association

Pride

Goshen County Livestock Sale Green Nebraska Towns-Scottsbluff Heartland Pulling Association Hemingford Bobcat Wrestling Hemingford Chamber of Commerce Hemingford High School Hemingford High School-FFA Hemingford Pheasants Forever JC Pilkington-Miss Nebraska KCMI Radio Keep Kimball Beautiful Keep Scottsbluff Gering Beautiful Kids Explore Kimball Banner 4-H Council Kimball Banner Chamber of Commerce Kimball Banner County Livestock Sale Kimball Concert Association Kimball County Ag Society Kimball High Booster Club Kimball High School Kimball High School FFA Kimball PRCA Rodeo Queen Knights of Columbus Land of Goshen Ministries-Torrington Laramie County 4-H Council Laramie County Livestock Sale Leadership Scotts Bluff Leadership Scotts Bluff Hoops for Heros Legacy of the Plains Museum Leyton High School Lied Scottsbluff Public Library Lied Scottsbluff Public Library Bucks for Books Light of Hope Breakfast Life Change Connect Lincoln Elementary School-Torrington Lincoln Heights Elementary Lingle Fort Laramie Lingle/Ft Laramie Schools Longs Peak Council Boy Scouts Mary Lynch Elementary-Kimball Meals on Wheels-Scottsbluff Minatare High School Minatare High School-FFA Miss Alliance Pagent Mitchell High School Mitchell Schools Foundation Monument Bible Church Morrill County 4-H Council Morrill County Fair & Rodeo Morrill County Hospital Foundation Morrill County Livestock Sale Morrill High School Morrill High School-FFA Morrill Lions Booster Club Morrill Public Schools Nebraska Agri Business Association Nebraska Coop Manager Association Nebraska Cooperative Council Nebraska Cooperative Council-Foundation Nebraska Lead Program Nebraska Safety Council Nebraska Special Olympics Nebraska Sugar Beet Growers Nebraska Water Balance Association

Star-Herald

Nebraska Wild Turkey Federation New Hope Assembly of God Church-Kimball Next Young Professionals North Platte Water Association Oregon Trail Community Foundation Oregon Trail Days Panhandle Humane Society Panhandle Rock & Gem Club Panhandle Worksite Wellness Coalition Pine Ridge Ducks Unlimited Pheasants Forever Platte Valley Human Resources Plymouth Congregational Church Regional West Foundation Riverside Discovery center Rocky Mountain Agri Business Association Rocky Mountain Trackers S/G Ambassadors S/G Chamber Ag Business Committee S/G Chamber Valley Visions S/G United Chamber of Commerce Salvation Army Bell Ringing-CAPWN SB Volunteer Center Snow Angels Scotts Bluff 4-H Council Scotts Bluff Ag Society Scotts Bluff County Livestock Sale Scotts Bluff County Volunteer Center Scotts Bluff 4-H Trap Club Scottsbluff Firefighters Union Scottsbluff High School Musical Scottsbluff High School Booster Club Scottsbluff High School-FFA Scottsbluff Gering Bowling Team Scottsbluff Gering Lions Club Scottsbluff Noon Kiwanis Club Scottsbluff Noon Kiwanis Golf Sponsor Scottsbluff Gering Rotary Club Scottsbluff Wrestling Club Senior Friendship Center-Torrington SeptemberFest-Torrington Sioux County 4-H Council Sioux County High School Sioux County High School-FFA Soroptomist International Southeast FFA Southeast Goshen Elementry Southeast High School-FFA Southeast Wyoming Search & Rescue St. Agnes Elementary School St. Agnes Penny Carnival St. John’s Lutheran Church Sugar Valley Rally Summit Bible College Thanksgiving in the Valley Theater West Torrington High School Torrington High School-FFA Trail Elementary Schools Twin Cities Development Corp Twin Cities Zephers & Express Baseball United Way Golf Tournament United Way of Western Nebraska Duck Race United Way of Western Nebraska Valley Christian School-Torrington Wee Pals Preschool Westmoor Elementary Running Club Westmoor Elementary School WNCC Atheletics Sponsor WNCC Foundation WNCC Foundation Marathon & Fall Frolic WNCC Vocal Music Gala Wyoming Medium Correction Prison Wyoming Wheat Growers YMCA-Scottsbluff Zion Evangelical Church-Scottsbluff

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 22, 2014 9

CrossFit: More than just pumping iron

By CHABELLA GUZMAN Staff Reporter

People in the Panhandle are over just going to the g y m . Mo r e t h a n a f e w have caught the CrossFit bug.

Dori Dietrich, Cr ystal Stock and Chad Hobbs decided to take their fitness to the next level. The trio decided to start a CrossFit a f f iliate called CrossFit Impel at the Warehouse Fitness Center in Scottsbluff and became certified trainers.

CrossFit offers high-intensity inter val training, Ol y m p i c we i ght l i f t i n g, power lifting, gymnastics, calisthenics and more in its exercise program.

“It ’s a var ied workout w it h f unct iona l move ments, using lots of stuff i n d i f fe r e nt w a y s ,” D i et r ich sa id. “ No mat ter what age you are, it can be scaled to meet your needs.

Everyone can do it.”

Diet r ich a nd Hobbs have been doing CrossFit for more than three years.

“I had been lifting and got into CrossFit, and just continued in it,” Dietrich said.

Hobb s a l s o l i f t s , b ut liked the competitiveness of CrossFit and the competitions, which reminded him of high school.

“I like the team work,” he said. “ W ith competitions, we push each other.

It ’s great to prepare you for football and everyday activities.”

CrossFit builds the body’s functional muscles, the two said. Like picking up a baby or doing yard work, it builds strength and balance.

“A lot of people like to do just cardio, like running,” Hobbs sa id. “CrossF it adds weight and metabolic endurance with strength and power.”

He admitted he has never gotten the natural high r unners t alk about , but CrossFit gives him a sense of accompl ishment . Exercises incorporate sandbags and iron balls with handles called kettlebells, free weights, giant medicine balls, tractor tires and plyo boxes, which are jumped onto from a standing position.

“I compete with myself and use it to push myself.

I don’t compare myself to others, but work for my p e r s o n a l b e s t ,” H ob b s said.

Dietrich said the classes for the public are set up to help them also reach a personal best.

“We don’t push the clients to compete against

Photos by Chabella Guzman

Crossfit Impel co-owners Chad Hobbs and Dori Dietrich run a gym along with Crystal Stock (not pictured) at the Warehouse Fitness Center in Scottsbluff. The group offers their clients a full spectrum of exercises that complement other exercise routines, like swimming or running.

e a c h o t h e r,” s h e s a i d .

“Everyone has their own goal.”

CrossFit requires bursts of power and energy, Dietrich said. People enjoy going to competitions, where they pit their power and endurance against others.

The CrossFit games are like a regular gym workout with timed reps of a variety of exercises.

“The longer you come to class, the more you’ll want to compete,” Hobbs said.

He doesn’t believe compet it ions a re the only reason for a person to do CrossFit. “The exercises can help a nyone who does ot her t ra i n i ng for sw i m m i ng, running — it helps build endurance,” Hobbs said.

In most cases, injuries that occur can be treated and avoided by listening to your body, said Hobbs.

“You can get hurt doing any kind of exercise,” he said. “The key is to work your way up. A s we get older, we quit doing stuff like squats in our normal everyday life.”

Deitrich said both her and Hobbs are personal trainers, and, along with Stock, they are there to help a person attain individual success. “ I love t his spor t a nd encourage others to give it a try. Don’t push yourself until you get comfortable, and you will see results,” she said.

Pull-ups are among the many exercises Hobbs and Dietrich assist their clients with to gain strength and endurance.

Hobbs, instructor and co-owner at Crossfit Impel, demonstrates a squat. The CrossFit regimen includes everything from squats to calisthenics for a full-body workout.

We’re Proud To Be Serving The Area HorizonWest Inc. is committed to helping you increase yields and reduce costs. We have everything you need for planning, planting, growing, and harvesting:

i i i i

hard-working, reliable, industry-leading farm equipment a parts and service team that keeps your equipment up and running flexible financing that fits your budget high-level product knowledge and expert advice, HorizonWest Inc. is dedicated to meeting and exceeding your expectations.

Give us a call, get to know us and find out how Case IH can help you be ready.

HorizonWest Inc. Where The Customer Is #1!

2401 West 20th Street Scottsbluff, NE 308-635-3727 888-322-7344

525 Parkland Drive Sidney, NE 308-254-2270 888-227-3440

1000 East Valley Road Torrington, WY 307-532-2755 888-922-7344

Visit our website at www.horizonwestinc.com

10 Saturday, March 22, 2014

Pride

Star-Herald

Cleaning up the valley one project at a time

By JOE DUTTON Staff Reporter

Keeping the valley clean isn’t an easy task, but for one Scottsbluff resident it has become her passion.

Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful Executive Director Kathy Kropuenske started in 1998 as a part-time worker, but the job quickly grew to a full-time position.

The nonprofit organization began as the Scottsbluff-Gering Clea n Communit ies Commission in 1980 then became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful in 1981.

The name later changed to Keep Scottsbluf f- Gering Beautiful in the late 1990s.

Kropuenske’s passion for recycling came from her great-aunt Elizabeth who grew up during the Depression-era and inspired Kropuenske to reuse everything she possibly could.

“Aunt Lizzy was a recycler before anybody else ever thought about recycling,” Kropuenske said. “She could do more with less than anyone I ever knew.”

Along with her volunteer experience as a Girl Scout leader, Jobs Daughter’s mom and volunteering in her children’s schools, she was able to easily fit into her position at KSGB. “My job, it was made for me. I fell in love with it,” she said. “The more that I learned about Keep America Beautiful, it being education-based and working with the kids, it was like, ‘this is what I really loved to do.’ It got into my blood.”

The KSGB program has changed a lot over the years, but the main goal has stayed the same — to implement litter prevention, recycling, source reduction and encourage residents to use less waste. Kropuenske said it started out as beautification awareness, but now KSGB is into almost everything. To her, the most important aspect has become promoting clean water and environmental education for adults and children.

“I always say if we can educate those kids, we can educate the parents,” she said.

“My best advocates are those kids. Hopefully, they will help make a change.”

Kropuenske said KSGB is about ma k ing people conscious of what the organization is doing and what can be done with certain items, instead of just throwing it in the trash.

These programs include Recycle Your Cycles, Electronic Recycling Event, and Paint, Drop and Swap Day. The biggest project has been the pharmaceutical collection program. Kropuenske said she is very proud of being the second in the nation to host the event.

“This last year of collecting, in eight hours, 2,500 pounds, which when you think of small medical waste, that’s just amazing to me,” she said. “We are just in Scottsbluff and Gering, Neb..

How do we collect so darn much? Just think of that being kept out of the water.”

Other successful collections have been the Household Hazardous Waste and the electronics recycling events. K ropuenske said 73,000 pounds of electronics were obt a ined for recycling last year in just four hours. She added that KSGB wouldn’t have those kinds of numbers unless the residents

Photos by Joe Dutton

Gering Interim Landfill Director Darrell Vance, Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful Executive Director Kathy Kropuenske and North Platte Natural Resources District Information/Education Coordinator David Wolf introduce a new recycling program at the NRD office in Scottsbluff in conjunction with America Recycles Day. The partnership helps expand recycling programs and educational opportunities to schools throughout the NRD district.

Do you have something to sell?

Call 308-632-9020 for assistance.

Volunteers from the City of Scottsbluff, Scottsbluff Police Department and Main Street Market sort items that were dropped off during the Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful Pharmaceutical Collection Day in 2012.

were educated on why it is important to recycle those items.

“People will do the right thing if you give them an option,” she said. “At the HHW, people were lined up all the way out to Beltline.

They had all this stuff they didn’t know what to do with, but they knew it shouldn’t be dumped. They brought it to us to be properly disposed of.”

Kropuenske said KSGB is also about building community pride. She added that if people take pride in what they have, then they are more apt to take care of it.

“This really takes a whole com munit y work ing to gether,” she said. “If I didn’t have Jan and Curt Curtright, Main Street Market, the cities, the media to help me get the word out and all the different partnerships we have going, the schools and working with different folks, there is no way we would have succeeded. It takes all of us to make a change.”

Not on l y do e s K S GB programs help bring the community together, but they also attract more people to the area. K ropuenske said keeping the community clean helps with the economy and entices people who may want to move here.

“If you are going to bring your new spouse and you want to open up a business in Scottsbluff and you come in and it’s a mess and littered, are you going to come? Economic development is a big part of what we do to bring

Phone (308) 632-1600 2540 N. 10th Street

Kropuenske looks on as Scottsbluff Mayor Randy Meininger, left, and Gering Mayor Ed Mayo, center, sign a proclamation for Scottsbluff, Gering and Terrytown to celebrate the months of March, April and May as The Great American Cleanup.

Gering, NE 69341

Locally Owned & Operated Since 2010 Lupe & Yolanda Guerrero, Owners BOOK YOUR SPECIAL EVENT TODAY!

more people to our community,” she said.

Kropuenske said she has been lucky to have won a lot of awards over the years for her efforts. “ I f we had n’t worke d together, we wouldn’t have won those awards,” she said.

“It takes a lot more than K athy and Jan and Curt Curtright to make these become a reality.”

Kropuenske’s job is always fun and challenging, but to her, the best part is the environmental education.

K ropuenske said Panhandle residents are more understanding about protecting natural resources than people in bigger cities.

T his understanding of natural resource protection took her to the North Platte Natural Resource District in Scottsbluff last May. Kropuenske said the partnership with the NRD is very important because they care about so many of the same issues.

In the future, Kropuenske said she would like to be more involved in tire collecting and offer the HHW

collect ion t w ice a yea r.

KSGB has even instilled a new recycling program in conjunction with the NRD for area schools and small businesses across the Panhandle to help inspire better recycling habits.

“You can’t believe, even off of your desk, how many things can go into the recycling bin,” she said.

Kropuenske doesn’t see recycling going away any time soon. She sees more p e opl e j u mp i n g on t he recycling bandwagon and enjoying the introduction of single-stream recycling.

“Recycling is only going to keep growing,” she said.

Kropuenske said it takes simple things to take care of the world. If KSGB can help educate people and change their behavior before they throw away their garbage, then they will keep Earth a better place for future generations.

“We are doing lots of good things out there. We just have to go forward. I don’t see us going anywhere. I plan on holding on as long as I can,” she said.

URGENT CARE 3011 Avenue A B | 308 308.632.2215 632 2215

Convenient, immediate, compassionate health care for serious but not life-threatening injuries or illness.

Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

1711 Broadway, Scottsbluff • 635-2334 Mon-Fri 10-5:30 • Sat 9:30-5 • Closed Sunday

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 22, 2014 11

Rodriguez helps others overcome addiction

By JOE DUTTON Staff Reporter

Helping others overcome their addiction has been the primary goal for one Scottsbluff woman.

Addict ion Counsel ing and Consultation Services owner and Executive Director Juanita Rodriguez has been in the substance abuse counseling f ield for the past 29 years. She was inspired to enter into the field through her own personal experiences as a teenager.

At age 22, she went to work for Synergy, a longterm residential program for adolescents in Colorado for four years. She later worked as a teacher’s assistant and then became a licensed addiction counselor in Colorado. In 1988, she continued her addiction counseling ca reer a f ter moving back home to Nebraska.

“I really enjoyed being able to do that and I had a love for kids,” she said. “I always said one day that I would come back home when I lived in Colorado and I would do things that were good for youth and inspire youth.”

W hen Rodr ig uez re turned to Nebraska, she was i n cha rge of yout h programs for the Panhandle Mental Health Center and later started her own counseling practice in 2005.

In 2011, Rodriguez spent a year and a half improving her business skills in the Western Nebraska Community College New Business I nc ubator prog ra m a nd became the first business to graduate from it in 2013.

Since opening ACCS for business last July, Rodriguez said they have had great outcomes with their services.

“The people that we serve seem to be very comfortable in our environment,” she said. “They always describe it as being very homey and inviting.”

AC C S is a s ub s t a nc e abuse outpatient program that conducts evaluations, assessments, individual, group, family and education classes. A long with c ons u lt at ions w it h em ployers, ACC S prov ides Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor bracelets and SCR AMx services for adults and teens. Rodriguez said their ser vices have evolved into more than just alcohol monitoring. They offer Point-in-Time recovery house arrest and alcohol monitoring machines that allow clients to test in the morning and at night inside their homes.

“It is a product that we are very excited about and it’s more of a step down from somebody that may be ending the SCR AM program, but want a little more accountability and don’t want to wear the bracelet,” she said. “It could also be utilized for someone who has never been in trouble, but needs some accountability as they get started in the recovery process.”

Rodriguez said technology has been a wonderful aspect in working with clients ACCS serves because it provides accountability and a deterrent. She added that when patients don’t have the technology, they get caught in the moment.

They may relapse and go t hrough t he reg ret a nd grief and feel like they have failed. “ R el a p s e is a p a r t of recover y and the stages of the change that you go through in order to make a change,” she said. “Whether it ’s w it h s ubst a nc es or need to lose weight or whatever, there is a process

of change that takes place.

This helps them to provide some accountability.”

ACC S also of fers serv ices to help ma nage people in the community rather than them having to go to prison or do residential treatment. Rodriguez said clients can be held accountable and engage in the services, maintain employment and work to rebuild relationships with their family since it gives them the opportunity to do that, too.

Over the past year, Rodriguez said the 139 clients that they monitored for adult probation had a 99.3 percent sober day rate.

“For me, that’s fabulous.

That is a ver y good outcome when we can partner with our referral agencies a nd g ive the people we ser ve an oppor tunit y to establish some sober days,” she said.

Even though Rodriguez has helped a lot of people in the community over the years, she said the best part of her job is instilling hope in others.

“One of the things that I’ve learned through the years is that you have to stop living in the past emotionally and mentally,” she said. “We’ve got to believe in faith that good things are ahead of us. We’ve got to practice that every day in our life. What’s important is that we’ve always got to continue to press forward no matter what has happened in our life and be able to heal in that manner.”

Rodriguez said part of the work she does is help people believe in them selves once again and that they can make a difference in their lives today. She advised that they have to press forward and let go of the past, not live in regret and have faith that only good is ahead of them.

“They have a lot of life to live. As long as you understand the concept of one day at a time, all you got is today is to make that an important part of your life,” she said “I know that has been successful and helped me become where I am at today.”

Rodriguez said her biggest ach ievement a f t er opening her business last year has been creating a welc om i n g at mos phere where people walk away inspired and with a little more hope than what they walked in with.

W hat Rodriguez of ten learns about people in her line of work is that deep dow n inside themselves there is a person that only wants good and for people to have faith in them. Rodriguez said her patients struggle hard every day, running from what affects them mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. It takes a lot more energy to say to themselves, “I want something different.”

“When you want something different, you’ll have what you need. You got to

Photos by Joe Dutton

Addiction Counseling Consultation Services owner Juanita Rodriguez has been working with substance abuse clients for the past 29 years and brings them hope during their time of need.

want that and they want it, they really do want it. You have to be patient enough w it h t hem i n order for them to get there and kind of go through those layers of their armor they have developed to protect themselves,” she said. “Most of t hem have had some significant things in their lives that they’ve learned to just kind of set aside and not want to deal with. We help them put on a different armor.”

Even though Rodriguez is not one for professional titles, she wears many hats in her line of work that include being a licensed addiction counselor, International Consor tium alcohol and drug abuse counselor that is nationally certified and trained, and is a professional in Department of Transportation work. Rodriguez said there are not a lot of people t ra i ned i n DO T, but she feels fortunate to be able to bring that to the community.

Rodriguez said she has had a great support system through family, staff members, the community and WNCC who help keep her inspired and focused on the good things life has to offer.

She added that the WNCC New Business Incubator program allowed her the opportunity to anchor down the business aspects in delivering customer satisfaction with creating an atmosphere with good business practices.

“It gave me the affirmation that I need to know that I could come out and do this,” she said.

Throughout the incubator program, Rodriguez said WNCC Dean of Economic and Community Development Judy Amoo was a great mentor and was able to link her to many resources.

A Skilled Nursing Facility 505 O Street, Bridgeport, NE 69336 • 308-262-0725

Respite Care Outpatient, PT OT and Speech Therapy Medicare/Medicaid Certified Adult Day Care

“ W it hout our refer ra l sources, without WNCC, without the clients we serve, I don’t know where I would be,” she said.

When Rodriguez walks into work every day, she said it is an amazing feeling. She walks in with a lot of faith and wants other people to be able to know there is hope out there in this world.

“No matter what has happened to you or what you have done or what you have been through, today you can do something different about that. All it takes is a phone call,” she said.

Even if ACCS can’t help, they have a large database of referrals since they have many good relationships with similar organizations in the community. Rodriguez said she is proud to be surrounded by a staff that works to create an environment where people walk away with hope at the end of their time or at least pointed in the right direction for what they need.

“I feel so blessed to be able to provide that. I know my staff feels the same way.

They just feel good about where they are at and what R o d r i g u e z s t a n d s b e s i d e h e r f a v o r i t e q u o t e they can do for people,” she that she proudly displays on a wall in her office encouraging her clients to always keep trying. said.

Still here to help, like always!

Specializing in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement, pain management & veterinary compounds.

Hot Flashes Night Sweats Headaches Fatigue Decreased Libido Depression Arthritic Pain Cream

“Special Medicines for Special Patients” www.specialmedicines.com custommeds4u@yahoo.com

At First State Bank, you can count on local bankers with the experience and authority to make decisions based on your needs and goals.

So whether you’re looking for commercial, residential or investment real estate lending, we’ll help you make your home ownership dreams come true because we’re big on You. 2002 Broadway, Scottsbluff

(308) 632-4158

1540 10th Street, Gering

(308) 436-5011

There are options to pills for your cat/dog Cats Hyperthyroidism Separation anxiety Dry Eye

308-635-9800 3210 Ave B, Ste A Scottsbluff, NE

12 Saturday, March 22, 2014

Pride

Star-Herald

WNVH helps keep members active

By JOE DUTTON Staff Reporter

At the Western Nebraska Veterans Home, residents are leading healthier lives to help them feel young again.

T he W N V H of fers act ive prog ra ms to help retired veterans st ay in shape, enjoy old and new hobbies a nd cont i nue their presence in the community. Whether it’s a fishing tournament at the pond, dancing or playing horseshoes, each activity helps the members lead a healthy life throughout their golden years. WNVH Administ rator L onnie Starke said activities are a big part of what they do at the veterans home and they try to integrate all of the staff with the members during the activities.

“For a lot of the folks that live here, the staff are a part of their family and they consider them their family and therefore, we try to integrate that into the activities,” Starke said.

“We also have directed that every department has to sponsor a member activity ever y yea r. It ’s not just the activity department’s responsibilit y to do the activities.”

Starke said the WNVH act iv it ies depar tment is a small department, but there are four staff members who help coordinate all of the events.

“It’s pretty comprehensive. It is just really helpful.

It helps us establish that relat ionsh ip w it h t hose employees and that department with the members as well.” Starke said.

Among the many popular activities at the veterans home, W N V H Activities Director Laura Singleton said they offer an exercise program three days a week that has become very successful.

“We do a lot of range of motion and we do arm, leg and neck rolls. They are all sitting down activities because of their stability,” Singleton said.

There is also an exercise activit y directed by one of the members. St arke said they have a former physician in residence who worked in physical therapy and started a group five yea rs ago t hat involved range of motion exercises with a large stick.

I f work i ng out isn’t a member’s st yle, the veterans home has st ar ted to host quarterly dances.

Singleton said ever yone that attends seems to enjoy them. “ T he members get up and dance with the staff and they get up and dance with each other,” Singleton said. “We have bands that come in and they (members) dance with them, but we have also made some CDs with their era of music along with some of the ’50s music and they dance to all of it. It doesn’t seem to matter what era it’s in, they’ll get up and they’ll dance.”

Singleton said the more active the members are, they will have less depression and illness, and will keep their joints agile and become more physically fit.

“You can maintain your qua l it y of l i fe longer i f you st ay act ive. T hat is the whole reason why you want to keep them active,” Starke said.

Starke said when people live there, it is a home. The staff wants to be as non-int r usive as possible, but really encourages people to be active and go out with their families if they can.

Not all of the activities are limited to the WNVH campus. Members will use the Handi Bus for shop ping or utilize the Lunch Bunch g roups to v isit restaurants. “ We g o o u t i n t o t h e communit y a nd pick a restaurant once a month.

We have the members sign up and they love to go and be a part of the community and have a social life and eat a meal,” Singleton said.

“Normally, it is paid for by organizations. They really enjoy that.”

T he m o s t s u c c e s s f u l event that the home hosts has been the billiards tour-

Courtesy photo

WNVH member Richard Anderson calls his shot during one of the annual pool tournament games.

Courtesy photo

Western Nebraska Veterans Home members Robert Ford and John Mays talk with WNVH Activity Assistant Carrie Barrett as they enjoy a morning of fishing in the pond located near the veterans home.

Courtesy photo

WNVH members Robert Books, John Abel and Richard Anderson stand proud as they were the winners of the horseshoe tournament last year.

Photo by Joe Dutton

Western Nebraska Veterans Home Activity Supervisor Laura Singleton, left, WNVH Administrator Lonnie Starke, second from right, and WNVH social worker Tara Lovesee, right, proudly stand with WNVH member Roger Allen, second from left who has been the pool tournament champion for the past two years.

naments. Starke came up with that idea seven years ago.

“We tried to do it numerous times. It is a member/ staff pool tournament and they love that, being able to team up with a staff person and get to know them,” Singleton said.

A not her la rge event the home hosts includes the family member picnic and a bingo party where everyone attends wearing pajamas “ Ever y depa r t ment is required to come up with an activity to assist with,” Starke said. “That helps a lot. That bolsters the activities department.”

Keeping members healthy doesn’t always involve activities. The home also provides a food committee that meets monthly with the members. Starke sa id t hey ask members

what t hey do a nd don’t like, and what went well with the last menu, what would they like to add or drop. St arke added that food in itself is an activity.

It is an event that happens at the home three times a day and it is important to everyone.

“It is a great way of socializing, too. You sit at the table and you are visiting w it h your t able mates,” WNVH social worker Tara Lovesee said. “We really encourage that fa mily piece as well, to try to get them to come and spend time. All of that has to do with keeping their mood up. Having the social life is big for mood and wellbeing. It’s really important to incorporate all of that together.”

T he Ca nteen Room is a lso a p opu la r sp ot for members to enjoy t i me

w it h e a ch ot her. Mem bers can catch a tailgate party during Cornhusker games or enjoy a series of other small events. Starke said there are many local orga n i zat ions t hat help sponsor the activities at the WNVH. “We have so much support from so many organizations. The service organizations aren’t the only ones, but they do a lot of support for us.” Starke said. “It’s amazing just the support we get.”

In the future, Singleton said they may start a Pitch card game party for members and staff to encourage members to conduct more games on their own. Starke

added that the home wanted to get more participation in the pool table and fishing pond. They eventually had more st a f f a nd member t ou r na ment s w it h bot h activities. Then it began to get popular. He hopes to do the same with Pitch parties.

“When they can do these sel f - d i rected act iv it ies , that’s great. Those are activities that we don’t have to prov ide the st a f f for, plus it is to benefit them in the hours when we are not here,” Starke said. “With t he P itch tour na ment , same thing, you start it and hope you can foster some interest in it and go from there.”

Singleton said the home may also bring some farm animals in the courtyard this summer since they h a ve a lot of f a r m a nd ranchers who are mem bers. She hopes to have someone come by before 4-H begins.

“We may bring in some lambs and chickens. Maybe something of the smaller

caliber and maybe a bottle cal f or something. T hat would be kind of fun and that is one thing I would like to pursue,” Singleton said.

Members a lso have a voice when it comes to the activities. Singleton said they have a member council and members put in suggestions. She also conducts a quest ion na i re , wh ich could inspire more activity that the staff wouldn’t have even thought of.

“Some members take advantage of a lot of activities and some members don’t take advantage of hardly any, but that’s what the individualization is about. Some do, some don’t. Some want to, some don’t,” Starke said.

“You get enough mix out there presented with the opportunities that someone should be able to find something of interest if they want to participate. That’s why there is always a diverse variety of activities and we are always trying to take a pulse on the members on what interests them.”

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 22, 2014 13

Bountiful Baskets making fresh food more readily available

By MARY WERNKE For the Star-Herald

Chad Bell was the typical husband when it came to eating vegetables. Forced to eat veggies as a child, he was able to say no as an adult and wouldn’t touch anything green. A vegetable to him meant only two things — potatoes or corn.

Bell said when his family became involved with B ou nt i f u l B a s ke t s , h i s out look on veget ables cha nged . “ Now, we e at anything in the basket,” he said. His younger son Gattlen really loves vegetables, Chad continued, often choosing a carrot over a cookie.

Valery Bell, Chad’s wife, is the volunteer site coordinator for the Bountiful Baskets co-op in Alliance.

She said the baskets have changed the way her family eats, in a good way. “I didn’t used to buy fresh fruits and vegetables,” she said. “The price was just too high. I always used f rozen, but now that fresh is readily available, we love it.”

Asparag us is a family favorite and recently they tried mangoes for the first time. “ We haven’t found anything we don’t like,” she added. Occasionally, they have found t h i ngs t hey couldn’t identif y, but the Bountiful Baskets site has a page with a blog where they talk about the unusual items, with recipe ideas a nd ot her in for mat ion about the uncommon fruits and veggies.

Sally Stevens and Tanya Jol l y st a r t e d B ou nt i f u l B a sket s Food C o - op i n May 2006. It was a winning combination from the beginning, the pair said.

Stevens and Jolly both had experience running their own small food co-ops that were not Web-based, but as their small co-ops grew, it challenged them to think of a way to keep up as more families wanted to save money on healthy food.

“Adding a l it t le bit of e-commerce technology to the mix was just the trick,” the women said. Since May 2 0 0 6 , BBF C has g row n from two sites and an average of 120 families per cycle participating, to hundreds of sites in 16 states and countless participating fa m il ies. I n A pr il 2 011, BBFC started to offer 100 percent organic baskets every week at nearly every site.

Ma rga ret Ha r t ma n of Hemingford was a big fan

of Bount i f ul Baskets in Wyoming before moving to town. Cost effective and volunteer-based, Hartman said the food co-op cut the middleman costs to make fresh food available at a lower cost. Bountiful Baskets offers a conventional produce basket every other week — generally half fruit and half vegetables. The mone t a r y c ont r ibut ion is $15, but the products are valued at $ 50 retail.

Organic baskets require a contribution of $25.

The exact contents of a basket are unknown, even to the coordinators like Hartman, until the truck arrives at the local site.

“Usually, it’s whatever is in season,” she said. Occasionally, there are tortillas, granola or bread as added staples available for purchase online.

Hartman said each family makes their contribution online in advance of the week the truck will be in their town, with a $ 3 fee the f irst time to help in paying for the baskets, etc.

The cardboard boxes the produce arrives in and the plastic baskets they use to sort members’ foodstuffs are all recycled, Hartman sa id, ma k ing t he co - op even more at t ract ive to modern consumers.

W hen t he sem i - t r uck p u l l s up a t t he c ou nt y fairgrounds, six or seven volunteers unload boxes of fruits and vegetables and begin sorting them into individual baskets for each member. Pineapples are quickly spread among 4050 baskets lined up along the sides of the school art building. Apples and to matoes are more carefully loaded to avoid bruising.

Bountif ul Baskets a re now ava ilable in A insworth, A lliance, Bayard, Chadron, Crawford, Dalton, Gordon, Gering, Hem ing ford, K imba ll, Lakeside, Scottsbluff and Sidney in the Panhandle.

Others interested in starting a new site are asked to volunteer with an existing site coordinator first. Coordinators and other volunteers spend two to four hours at the site on the day the food is delivered. Physical locations are another b i g c o n s i d e r a t i o n ; t he co-op website, www.bountifulbaskets.org, details requirements for unloading a semi-truck and accessing t he pick- up site dur i ng cold and snowy weather.

Bountiful Baskets is also available on Facebook.

Photos by Mary Wernke

ABOVE: Erin Sorensen places a bag of fresh green Delicious apples in each Bountiful Basket at the Hemingford site. Sorensen said she volunteers to ensure the site continues to flourish. “It’s the best way I’ve found to have fresh fruit and vegetables for my husband and children,” the non-veggie lover said.

LEFT: M a rg a re t H a rt m a n u nlo a d s fre s h pineapples from boxes of produce available at the Bountiful Baskets food co-op in Hemingford in February. Hartman is the volunteer site coordinator, working with six to eight volunteers once or twice a month to provide fresh fruits and vegetables at a lower cost to co-op contributors. This day’s produce saw pineapples, apples, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and squash available in the dead of winter.

BELOW LEFT: Pat Behn and Patrick Hartman sort fresh potatoes into Bountiful Baskets for food co-op members in Hemingford. Filled with tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and squash, the baskets became a veritable stew pot on the cold, windy day that had volunteers working in coats, hats and gloves at the county fairgrounds.

Do you have something to sell?

Call 308-632-9020 for assistance.

14 Saturday, March 22, 2014

Pride

Star-Herald

The Big Event: A way to give back

By BART SCHANEMAN Assistant Editor

C H A DR ON — W h i l e C h a d ron S t a t e C ol lege brings much to the town of Chadron, the college also receives plenty of support from the community.

In recognition of that, CSC is hosting its second annual The Big Event on April 26.

W it h T he B i g E ve nt , CSC students, faculty and staff spend an afternoon volunteering around the area.

Last year’s maiden voyage saw the entire football t ime helping clea n up Wilson Park, volunteers at both of Chadron’s elderly care centers, the wrestling team helping w ith playground equipment and volunteers painting the inside of the Chadron Head Start b u i l d i n g, a m o n g o t he r activities.

“It was really cool to see it all come together,” said Shaunda French, the faculty advisor for the event.

French said the goal is to build a new tradition.

S a m Pa rker, a s en ior communications arts major at CSC from Harrison, d i re c t e d t he event l a st year and is in charge again this year.

He oversees eight other students to make sure all the parts are running.

T he major it y of the staff are public relations majors, and Parker said the experience is “so applicable.”

“I’m so thankful for it,” he said. “It’s a lot of work, but I’ve learned so much bei ng able to apply t he things we learned in the classroom.”

T he Big Event was founded at Texas A&M in 1982 for the college to say thank you to the community for supporting them.

Other colleges have adopted it along the way.

Parker said the volunteer efforts are not based on socio-economic needs, it ’s all communit y members.

“We help everyone who wants help,” he said.

Parker sees it as a purely altruistic endeavor, not for college publ ic relat ions or because someone has done something for the college.

“We don’t give with an intention to see a return on the giving,” he said.

He sa id t he response they received last year was “tremendous.” “ We were really happy w it h how it c a me out ,” French said. “It’s been really neat to watch.”

Parker’s group went to a nursing home, played bingo with residents and performed a talent show.

“Just to see the joy on

the residents there was phenomenal,” he said.

“A lot of students have that mindset that they’re goi ng t o put t hei r fou r yea r s i n here a nd t hen ‘ I ’m goi ng t o be gone,’ but there is a community here.”

L a s t ye a r ’s e ve nt fo cused on t he Chadron community. This year organizers plan on expanding the event to Rushville and Crawford.

“It just shows how imp a c t f u l t h is c ou ld b e ,” Parker said.

The volunteers reached 15 worksites last year, the majority inside the town of Chadron.

This year, they plan to hit at least 30 worksites, with 15 -20 volunteers at each site.

One of their main focuses will be helping clean up after storm Atlas, which battered the area last fall.

Last year, they had 400 volunteers. They’re hop i ng to get 5 0 0 - 6 0 0 t his year.

Pa rker wa nted to em phasize that it ’s not just about hav ing st udents volunteer, but getting the faculty involved as well.

T he orga n i z er s coor dinate the event around C S C ’s f o o t b a l l s p r i n g ga me. A ssig nments, a free lunch and T-shirts are handed out directly after the game.

French said that even though the student organi zers a re unpa id, t hey s p e nd c ou nt l e s s hou r s working. “They’re a great group of kids,” she said.

She pra ised t he work Parker does.

“Sam is a phenomenal asset,” she said. “You can’t ask for a better student to come out of Chadron. He literally does anything and everything on campus.”

The Big Event was part of French’s doctoral in ternship at the University of Southern Mississippi.

She’s or ig i na l ly f rom Mitchell and believes it’s important to give back to the area.

French said she’s a big bel iever i n high - i mpact learning, which this event provides.

“Students can read textbooks and we can lecture all day long, but the work t hey do orga ni z ing a nd planning is really invaluable to their college experience,” French said. “I’m a firm believer in getting that practical experience.”

The event is part of the communications majors’ internship requirement, but French is t r y i ng to open it up to all students.

A ny st udent , facult y or staff can participate.

“Every year our goal is to get bigger, get better,” French said.

Courtesy photos

ABOVE: Big Event volunteers helped spread mulch last year.

LEFT: Back row, from left, Trelan Taylor, Jessica Jester and Sam Parker.

Middle row, from left, Bethany Kroetch, Connie Kittell and Apolonia Calleja. From row, from left, Megan O’Leary, Cheyenne Deering, Justy Bullington and Shaunda French.

Do you have something to sell?

Call 308-632-9020 for assistance.

Pride

Star-Herald

Saturday, March 22, 2014 15

Courtesy photo

Diabetes Care Center staff are, from left, Marcia Bauer, RD, CDE, LMNT; Sherry Smartt, RN, CDE; Dr. Jaroslaw Aniszewski; Mary Skiles, RD, CDE, LMNT; and Mayda Zimmerman, APRN-NP.

Polish doctor finds home in the Panhandle

By IRENE NORTH Staff Reporter

Jaroslaw Aniszewski (ann-ischev-ski) has traveled a long way since he was a boy in communist Poland.

He came to the U.S. 20 years ago not only to receive medical training, but because he wanted to see what the country was like.

“I thought it was interesting, so why not? Poland had just ended communism and it was a difficult place to travel in,” Aniszewski said.

As a young man in Poland, A niszewski had an important decision to make. He could go to college or be drafted into the military.

“I was very motivated. I didn’t

want to get sacked into boots,” Aniszewski said.

Aniszewski said that the universities in Poland are similar to the universities in the United States. Students must also pass entrance exams before attending.

He was also like many young students in America.

“I applied to the closest university to home,” he said.

His hard work paid off, graduating cum laude (top 1 percent) from the Academy of Medicine in Warsaw.

He then moved to the United States and completed a fellowship in endocr inolog y at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minn., and conducted his residency at the

University of South Dakota.

Aniszewski is the Panhandle ‘sonly board-certified endocrinologist. He is board-certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes.

Endocrinologists provide diagnosis and treatment of endocrine system-related disorders, including diabetes, thyroid, hormone and metabolic imbalances.

The endocrine system is the body’s chemical messaging system and involves hormone-producing glands that are instrumental in regulating metabo lism, growth and development, mood, tissue function, sexual function and the reproductive system.

“It’s hard to specialize in endocrinology because you wouldn’t

have much work here. I do general [work], mostly diabetes and thyroid,” Aniszewski said.

A niszewski studied endocrinology because he enjoys the logic, cause and effect, negative feedback and how things are regulated in the body.

“I thought it was interesting and logical, how hormones work and the physiology of it,” Aniszewski said.

As a new immigrant, one thing A niszewsk i not iced that was different was the American diet.

“One of the most shocking things was the composition of a meal and how little vegetable is in it,” Aniszewski said.

Twenty years later, Aniszewski sometimes finds himself realizing he has gotten used to Ameri-

can portions.

“I have the perspective of 20 years in the U.S. now. It takes a while to recalibrate my eyes to portion size,” Aniszewski said.

Aniszewski is in a unique position in Scottsbluff and Gering.

T he communit y needs endo crine help and there is a lot of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

“There has been an explosion of d iabetes over t he past 2 0 years. When I first came here, there were no oversized wheelchairs or oversized anything,” Aniszewski said.

He doesn’t appear surprised by the increased number of cases of diabetes in the U.S. “Look at the food people eat.

It ’s corn syrup and processed ANISZEWSKI, page 16

There’s no reason to suffer.

Let us help with your advertising needs.

Call 308-632-9020 for assistance.

We can help get you on the road to recovery and a life that isn’t ruled by pain.

Come in and see one of our therapists today!

KATIE HAYS

PT, DPT, CLT Certified Lymphedema Therapist

NICK HALD

PT, DPT Physical Therapist

RAMSEE HALD PT, DPT Physical Therapist

308.633.2900 · 214 West 27TH St., Scottsbluff www.elitept-scottsbluff.com

Pride

16 Saturday, March 22, 2014

Star-Herald

ANISZEWSKI: Polish doctor finds home in the Panhandle Continued from page 15 food. That’s the cheap carb. It’s easy to freeze and transport,” Aniszewski said.

Still, he has a desire to help his patients compassionately.

“Obesity is not a function of sloth. It’s a function of what we consume. When you go to the supermarket, visit the left side and the back side, not the middle,” Aniszewski said.

Aniszewski is practical in his analysis and criticism of obesity in America.

“Obesit y rates a re slow ing down, but that ’s because they all got fat already. Seventy-five percent are already obese or overweight. It’s declined somewhat in children. That’s in part due to schools taking out soda, but kids still eat Pop-Tarts and chocolate m il k ,” A n iszewsk i said, scrunching his nose at the thought of chocolate milk.

Obesit y isn’t a complet ely new problem. As the Western

world industrialized, there was more leisure time.

Since the early 20th century, A mer ica ns have consumed more fat a nd suga r a nd less starch and fiber.

“Obesity is the same ever ywhere,” Aniszewski said.

In the case of Native Americans, forcing them to become sedentary changed their traditional diet. “ T h e y h a d ob e s i t y i n t he 1920s on reservations because of their diet. T hey went from meat to fried bread and little protein. The native population i n A u s t r a l i a h a ve t he s a m e problem. The men used to eat kangaroo and were skinny and lean. T hey didn’t have diabe tes,” he said.

A niszewsk i sa id that eating hea lt hier foods develops fullness and you won’t eat too much. “ I ’m not a g a i ns t c a r b ohy drates, but eat them in fruits

a nd ve ge t abl e s . A p ou nd of bread has about the same a mou nt of c a rbohyd r at es i n eight to nine pounds of carrots,” he said.

A niszewski explained a study that showed how fullness works.

“There was a study done with t hree g roups of people. T he f irst group got an apple. T he second group got apple sauce.

T he third group got nothing.

T hey at e 4 5 m i nut es before getting in a buffet line. Those that ate the apple ate about 180 calor ies less for their meal,” Aniszewski said.

The applesauce and nothing g roup consumed the sa me amount. The groups were rotated and retested, but the results were the same.

A combi nat ion of bit i ng, chew i ng, tex t u res a nd t he st omach s ent sig na ls t o t he brain to not eat too much be cause it was already working on

other things.

“It doesn’t have to be an apple. It can be carrots, celer y, radishes,” he said.

Aniszewski doesn’t spend all of his time teaching others how they can eat healthier. Aniszewski said he enjoys skiing when he isn’t at work.

“I’m too old to be an expert, but I do OK,” he said.

He is also fluent in English, Polish, Spanish and Russian, and speaks basic German and French.

“I just like to learn languages.

I did most of it myself. I picked up Spanish when I was living in Texas,” Aniszewski said.

When living in Texas, Aniszewsk i s a id he a nd h is f a m i ly lived in what he describes as a nightmare house. “ I f you’ve seen t he mov ie, ‘The Money Pit’ I would gladly trade places with those people,” he said.

His wife and twin girls also

had to learn new skills in order to help in the seemingly never-ending repairs. “ T hey l e a r ne d how t o l a y br icks a nd m a ke c onc ret e ,” Aniszewski said.

A niszewski’s wife is still in Texas, making sure the house is finished so they can eventually use it as a rental property.

Though Aniszewski has fallen in love with the wide open spaces of western Nebraska, he isn’t very happy with the horns on the trains that routinely run through town.

“A re they going to do anything about it? The noise is like an explosion in your bedroom,” Aniszewski said.

He doesn’t understand what’s taking so long to fix the problem.

“Winter is not as bad because the snow muffles the sound, but in summer, I want to be able to open my windows and get some fresh air,” he said.

www.plummerinsurance.com

(308) 262-1200

Panhandle Coop

Check Out Our Boutique for Jewelry, Apparel is proud to be a part of Bridgeport! and So Much More 102 W. 5th 308-262-0827

Geraldine Reuter • Joy Arbour Sandra Sanchez • Megan Sprague Kindra Gray (LMT)

BRIDGEPORT Tire and Auto Center

1007 Main St., Bridgeport, NE

702 Main Street 308-262-0115

(308) 262-1139

Chimney Rock Public Power District

CROP PRODUCTION 425 Railroad Avenue 308-262-1253

P.O. Box 608, Bayard, NE

(308)586-1824 www.CRPPD.com

Your Touchstone Energy Partner

Let us help with your advertising needs.

Call 308-632-9020 for assistance.