Blogs
Our bloggers are fitness instructors, runners, bikers, professors, therapists, recreationists, psychologists, nutritionists, parents and, overall, members of our community. Check back often for new posts and leave a comment to engage in the conversation.
April 23, 2019
by Devon Balet There is a little known fact surrounding books and children in our country. In the United States, in low-income areas, there is ONE age appropriate book in the home for every THREE HUNDRED children. One in every 300. That number can be hard to grasp, especially if […]
March 19, 2019
by Johanna van Waveren Spring is my favorite time of the year to hike in Colorado National Monument. Picture waterfalls and streams flowing through red rock canyons that normally are as dry as, well, a desert. Keep your eyes peeled for the baby bighorn sheep shadowing their protective mothers. Bright […]
March 6, 2019
by Troy Ward Recreation: noun 1. Refreshment by means of some pastime, agreeable exercise, or the like. 2. A pastime, diversion, exercise, or other resource affording relaxation and enjoyment. Recreation is about experiencing connection. When we participate in recreation, our bodies are able to connect with something and disconnect from […]
October 2, 2018
by Jill Shenkel Henwood Empowerment, Responsibility, Intentionality, Diversity, Connectedness, Joy, Optimism, Gratitude, Nurturing, Healthy, Open-hearted, Compassion Joy – joi a feeling of great pleasure and happiness Optimism – op·ti·mism hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something I won a bet this weekend. I am not a frequent gambler, […]
July 3, 2018
by Ture Nycum Summer is here, which means it’s time to get out and discover the great places and things happening in the Grand Valley. Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Park and Recreation Month, and we encourage everyone to get out and explore your local […]
May 23, 2018
by Orin Zyvan Most all of us have enjoyed a feeling of vitality while riding a bike. For myself, hearing my almost one-year-old chattering with delight from the bike trailer, or my three-year-old yell “watch me dad” as she shoots off on her strider bike, never fails to bring a […]
April 10, 2018
by Katie Smith Imagine for a moment babies being born today. Imagine their parents holding them for the first time. Now watch them grow as toddlers…now they’re in elementary school…now as teens…heading off to college… and finally as adults in our community, perhaps starting families of their own. These once […]
March 22, 2018
by Sarah Johnson Around this time of year, most of us are typically itching to get outside. The days are longer, the sun is warmer, and it feels as if we’re emerging from a long housebound hibernation. This year, though, “winter” barely made an appearance. I’m hoping the winter of […]
February 6, 2018
One of my all-time favorite movies is The Sandlot. A classic tale of neighborhood kids, summer shenanigans, and life lessons learned from baseball. While the era of childhood has changed in many ways since the days of Benny, Smalls, Squints and Yeah Yeah, kids are still…well, kids. Looking back on […]
January 16, 2018
by Sarah Johnson Few things please me more than strong women raising strong girls. As the parent of a teenage female, I witness every day how much the women around her have an influence on her understanding of herself. I want those women to be strong, confident and kind. Luckily, […]
October 31, 2017
by Jennifer Stoll In my September blog, I touched on my feelings regarding the special place we live and work, and our unparalleled quality of life. One way we can enjoy what our community has to offer is through the plethora of amazing events that take place across Mesa County […]
October 10, 2017
by Annie Payne One of my first memories of Fruita is driving into town heading west on Highway 6 & 50 and seeing Grrreta the Dinosaur for the first time in her previous post next to Dinosaur Pizza. I believe I was about seven-years-old at the time. My younger cousin, […]
October 3, 2017
by Healthy Mesa County Staff “Don’t play in the street!” is something many of us heard as kids. As adults, some of us have probably used those same words with our children. But in Grand Junction on October 7 we have the chance to say, “Let’s all play in the […]
September 19, 2017
by Sarah Johnson This is me. And I’m not what I expected. This was taken on a spring afternoon when, after three days of skiing big mountains with high-speed lifts, my knees hurt and my muscles were sore. My legs were screaming their age, but I couldn’t have been happier. […]
September 6, 2017
by Sarah Johnson Not long ago I heard Stacy Bare talk about how rock climbing saved his life. Bare, a 2014 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year who has made a career of getting people outdoors through his expedition work with veterans, kids in poverty and others, was in Grand […]