Campaign Helps Shoppers Find Heart-Healthy Foods

Bringing Knowledge to Life! / Partner Report / Manistee County
8840 Chippewa Hwy.
Bear Lake, Michigan 49614-9423
Phone: 231-889-4277 / E-mail:
Fax: 231-889-5930
Web: msue.msu.edu/manistee
Director: Elaine Bush
September 2009

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Issued in furtherance of MSU Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Thomas G. Coon, Director, MSU Extension, East Lansing, MI 48824. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.

Campaign helps shoppers find heart-healthy foods

Heart disease is a serious health issue for many Americans and many Manistee County residents. In response, the United Way of Manistee County and the Manistee Community Foundation provided the Healthy Manistee County Coalition with funding to implement a unique heart health education project.

MSU Extension, district health department #10, the West Shore Medical Center and Manistee Area Public Schools are all active members of the coalition. These agencies partnered with Oleson’s Food Store in Manistee to implement a yearlong shelf tagging project that began in October 2008.

Tags were placed throughout Oleson’s store on 250 grocery items that meet the American Heart Association standards for low total fat, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol and sodium. Lower-priced items were tagged to enable those on limited incomes to participate in the program.

One Saturday a month, Cyndi Jacobi, MSU Extension Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) associate, provided food demonstrations and the opportunity to taste dishes made from the tagged items. She also prepared displays and handouts on various nutritional topics.

These materials remained at the store throughout the month for the benefit of shoppers who were not able to attend her Saturday programs. Monthly newspaper articles were submitted to further increase information and learning about the selected topics.

The intent of the tagging project was to encourage purchases of heart-healthy items and, over time, change eating behaviors that would result in less heart disease and obesity among Manistee area residents.

Prior to the October 2008 kick-off, 185 shoppers were surveyed to determine their ability to choose heart-healthy foods. They were asked if they currently ate heart-healthy foods and how likely they were to purchasing heart-healthy foods. One finding indicated that 71 percent of the shoppers would be more likely to purchase heart-healthy items if they were easily identified.

Nearly a year later, sales data show an increase in the purchase of the tagged items has occurred.

As this year-long project draws to a close, the coalition is meeting to consider continuing and possibly expanding this program during the coming year. Follow-up surveys are being conducted with shoppers to identify changes in their shopping behavior.

One of the educational exhibits (this one highlighting low-fat dairy foods) that was displayed at Oleson’s Food Store.

Master Gardener education reaches variety of groups

MSU Extension office secretary Terrie Williams has maintained her advanced master gardener status since first completing the Master Gardener course in 2002.This summer Williams put her Master Gardener knowledge to use by providing garden-related educational programming.

In May, she offered a presentation “How to Increase Wildlife in Your Landscape” to the P.E.O. Gardening Club of Manistee. Her talk included suggestions for plant selection and placement for attracting wildlife to a backyard.

In June, Williams spent three days travelling to all six county library branches to provide plant science lessons to more than 200 area children. The youngsters learned to identify the parts of plants and their functions, and the important role plants play in our world. Each child had the chance to decorate a small flower pot, select and plant a flower in it and take the finished product home.

Residents of Century Terrace and Harbor View senior housing apartment complexes have new raised bed gardens this summer. Williams assisted residents at both facilities with managing diseases, pests and weeds. She also provided more than 40 residents gardening and safety tips specifically geared for senior citizens and handicapped individuals, discussed the advantages of community gardening, and made suggestions about the best use of the raised gardening beds.

Day with Nature celebrates 25 years of excellence in environmental education

In an age in which many longstanding traditions are falling by the wayside as a sign of the times, there is one local 4-H-sponsored event that is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a key Manistee County educational event.

Fourth-grade students from across the county take part in this annual “Day with Nature” event at the Magoon Creek Natural Area in Filer Township. 4-H Program Instructor Debra Laws took steps to ensure that this year’s event was extra special.

More than 300 students participate in this live nature presentation each year. They hike along the Magoon Creek Natural Area trail and stop to listen to guest presenters who are stationed along the way. Since the event began, more than 50 speakers from many agencies and organizations have discussed topics ranging from birds of prey to wildlife rehabilitation (sometimes featuring live animals), Native American culture and music, soil studies, entomology, forestry, Great Lakes fisheries and plants.

Speakers have come from the Lake Bluff Audubon Society, the Manistee County Historical Museum, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, MSU Extension (including Extension Sea Grant), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA/NRCS), the Manistee Conservation District, area law enforcement agencies, the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program and the U.S. Forest Service.

Every year the day ends with a lesson on tree planting and a small number of trees are planted at Magoon Creek to demonstrate the proper technique. Each student also receives a seedling and instructions on how to plant it at home.

Some parents of students who attended this year’s event had attended when they were in fourth grade. Laws often receives comments from chaperones who recount their memories of planting the trees.

The event always receives coverage in “The Manistee News Advocate,” often with a front page article and photo. This year was no exception, and the anniversary content included an interview with retired USDA/NRCS district conservationist Ben Loosemore, who shared his memories about the first “Day with Nature” and the establishment of the Magoon Creek Natural Area in 1983.

Loosemore said that he realized back then that the area had a great deal of potential with its location along Lake Michigan, but he never expected it to play host to a program that would be going strong after 25 years.

Each student, teacher and parent attending this year’s event received a silver anniversary edition of the Magoon Creek program brochure and a specially packaged 2009 Washington D.C. quarter.

The Magoon Creek “Day with Nature” represents 25 years of excellence in educational and experiential learning. Laws looks to the future to do even more!