Last January when Albert Lea was chosen for the pilot project of the AARP / Blue Zones Vitality Project sponsored by United Health Foundations, I never could have imagined how this was going to help not only my family, but our entire community.  We have been blessed with knowledge that not only will allow us to live longer, but more importantly to live better!

Our community has added more sidewalks this year then what is normally done in three years!  What does this mean?  Well for starters, I can fully walk around our centerpiece lake knowing that my family and I are safe.  I know that the community has gained an asset that will be here forever, and is free to use to anybody that wishes.  I also know that I am going to see friends, family and strangers along this path that I am going to be more connected with.

Our restaurants are also coming on board with offering smaller, more reasonable portions, and healthier options.  We are not going to stop eating out, but given the option when we do, we can make better decisions.  Now we have to get the national chains on board with this program so that no matter where you go, you will have the choice to eat a healthier, well proportioned meal.

Our community has always been “Minnesota Nice”, but with this program, people have reconnected in a way that hasn’t been seen since “Leave it to Beaver”.  It is absolutely amazing how a person can live within the same neighborhood, and yet not know anybody, let alone not be able to ask for help when needed.  This program brought this community together in way that won’t soon be forgotten.  I encourage you to go out and meet someone new in your neighborhood each week for the next year.  You will be amazed what you will learn if you just take the initiative to go up to your neighbors door and introduce yourself!

Purpose is a very strong word that is often overused in our society, but finding your own purpose is probably one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  My wife and I both attended the purpose workshop and left realizing that we needed to break out of our rut and pursue our passion, for us, that meant going back to college to finish our degrees.  For others it meant finding a hobby that they had forgotten about.  Life is a lot brighter when you wake up in the morning knowing that you are going to make a difference in your own life.  You don’t have to take a purpose workshop to discover what invigorates you and makes you want to get up in the morning.  Get a book, attend a class, ask yourself questions,  whatever it is just do it, you will be happy that you did.

How does one measure success in a program like this?  Is it just the empirical evidence that is gained?  I think not!  Living in Albert Lea is better today then what it was just a year ago in so many ways that are not measurable.  I feel that our community is taking responsibility for what matters in life, what matters in our community, and what matters in our world.  True reform of any kind starts with making small behavioral changes, and that is what we have done, and that is what I ask you to do as well.  Give this program a try in your own family unit, ask your community leaders to adapt this policy, and gain not only more years of life, but more importantly better years of life.

Thank you to the AARP for seeing the value in this program, and more importantly the value of Albert Lea.  Thank you to the Blue Zones and all of the experts that have been brought to Albert Lea during the last year.  Thank you to the United Health Foundation for sponsoring this project financially.  And thank you Albert Lea for having the foresight to pursue this opportunity and to get the community involved.  The success of this program is not only based on the empirical data, but on what this community has become it just the last year.  When will we truly determine the success of this project is yet to be seen, for I will change, my children will adapt, and our future shall prosper!

B. Purdie

 The last few weeks seem as though they have disolved before my eyes.  During the next couple of weeks I will update everyone on where we have been and where we are headed.  The AARP / Blue Zones Vitality Project is gaining steam and there is so much to share.

This week is an incredible week for the Project, for the town of Albert Lea, and for my family.  On Wednesday morning, Sam Champion from Good Morning America is coming to town.  Tune in to GMA and you will catch a glance at the best kept secret in Minnesota - Albert Lea.  Although it is incredible to be receiving the attention of the national media, it really is what this program is doing for our community that is truly incredible.  

When our government is looking to come up with Health Care Reform, they need to see what the AARP / Blue Zones Vitality Project is.  For me this is the basis of any reform that comes along, the government can throw as much money as they want at reforming healthcare, but without a project like this it will be futile.  This program is not a diet, it is not an excercise program and it is certainly not a quick fix.  What it is a behavioral change, a change that all Americans can easily make, and need to make.  We need to first be responsible for our own health, doing the little things over a long period of time.

Cathy and I are now half way through our first class in returning to college.  Without this program, and examing our passions and goals in life, I truly doubt that we would have moved forward.  We quit making excuses for why we couldn't return to school, and instead, focused upon how we could.  Now I will cover more on this topic in the next while, but just wanted to say that I am loving it, even though it is a lot of work.

This last weekend we had our first ever neighborhood party.  What  a success!  Over 100 neighbors got together at our City Beach to enjoy a grill out and each others company.  Again I will follow up on this in the near future, hopefully I will be able to add some photos of the event as well.

One last item for today.  This week Corde' will be playing in Blaine at the Schwan's USA Cup soccer.  Teams from all over the world will be there for this event.  They have many activities for the kids and even have a lighting of a cauldron, much like the olympics.  I am very excited that he will get to play in this and am looking forward to this family event.

 Just thought that I would quick share a story that happened to us this last Tuesday.  When Cathy and I started our day we had the following commitments for the day.  Each of would be at work until 5:00, then meet at home.  Bre'Lahna had soccer practice at 5:00, which meant that I would have to take off work at 4:30 to get her there in time.  We had a Block Party Planning meeting scheduled for 5:30 which both Cathy and I wanted to attend.  Corde' had a home soccer game at 7:00 which meant that he had to be there at 6:00/6:30.  And finally we had our our Turbo class for Small Group development with our Church also at 7:00.

When we left that day for work, the only thing that Cathy and I had agreed upon was the fact that we committed to the eight week Turbo class with our church and that for some reason we were being lead to do this and get more involved in our church.  We agreed to e-mail each other during the day to determine who was going to do what and how we were going to be able to get it all in.  Each of us would have to give up something, but as I said we were dedicated to the Turbo class which meant that we would have to ask Corde' to give up having us attend  his game.

Well this is how it ended up playing out.  About 2:00 in the afternoon a  thunder storm broke out and dumped a lot of rain on us.  By 3:00 I received an e-mail from Bre's coach cancelling her practice, one down three to go.  By 4:30 we received another e-mail announcing that the Block Party Planning meeting had been switched to Thursday night instead!  Two down, two to go.

When we got home from work we sat Corde' down and explained to him the importance of us both attending the Turbo class and missing his game.  He was disappointed, but eventually agreed that we should go to our class.  We then convinced Andre' and Bre' to go and support Corde' and watch his game.  Afterwards they would all walk home together.  We ended up running late as usual so the tension was a bit high and became even more when we drove to the soccer field.  His game tonight was to be played on a different field that we had not used before, but was listed in the e-mail reminder of the game.  When no one was there we began questioning ourselves so we continued on to the next park that was close by - no one there either.  I pulled over to the side of the road and called his coach Bob.  Sure enough, Bob started to appologize saying he thought he had called everyone - his game was cancelled!

Cathy and I returned the kids to the house and went to our Turbo class.  Considering that we had committed to doing this class early on in the morning, and how many things that conflicted with it, we just felt that a higher power had intervened to make sure that we were rewarded for making this a priority!  We didn't have to miss out on anything to do what we knew was right.

School has ended and there are certainly changes to be had at our home this year.  With the kids home during the day and both of us working, we have had to look at snacks and lunch in a different way this year.  Our oldest son, Andre', has a job working this summer with me three days a week.  We decided to get a small fridge for my office so that we can take beverages, our lunch, and healthier snacks.  This has been something that I have considered for a long time, but with this project, and with two of us being affected, it became the right time.

I have stated in previous posts how our grocery buying habits have changed, and we are sticking to it.  Traditional snacks of cookies, chips, and soda has been decreasing and being replaced with veggies, popcorn, and water.  I would love to change my soda drinking habits, but haven't quite been able to get away from my Classic Coke.  I have not found a diet soda that does not cause me an increase in headaches, so I guess that I will just continue to cut back and drink more water.

This last week has been extremely busy with our children's soccer practices and games, yet we were able to drop off our daughter for her game and to go for a 45 minute walk.  Normally we would have just sat down and waited for the game to start and watch them warmup, but going for a brisk walk during this time certainly was a better use of our time.

Untill next week, I encourage all to work at making just one small change in your lifestyle for the better.  If it works for one week, then do it again the second week.

What a week it has been - way too busy, but very fullfilling!

Cathy and I attended the AARP / Blue Zone Vitatlity Project sponsored Purpose Workshop presented by Richard Leider on Wednesday night.  This seminar is worth all of the time that you invest in it, but be prepared to walk away going, "Whats Next?"  For me, that meant that I had to study up on the subject.  Currently I only bought his one book titled, "Whistle While You Work", but have not started reading it yet.  Instead, I bought a book which he breached upon in his discussion , "Mans Search for Meaning", by Viktor Frankl.  A must read, as I have hardly been able to put it down all weekend.  Frankl was a survivor of Auschwitz, and tells what it is like to loose everything except your very being, and what keeps a man going during this time, and more importantly, what is important to a man at this point.

Without knowing it, I was already a follower of Frankl for some time, as I believe in the following basic facts: 1) There are only two races of humans decent and undecent (for me it has been the good and the bad).  2)  That when all else has expired the remaining freedom that we all have is free choice - what we want to believe, what we want to do, how we want to react and so forth.  I would like to add one last virtue.  3)  With every right, there is great responsibility, and it is our duty to always perform.

Anyway, about our Blue Zone week.  We spent the last two weekends working on our home.  Now this is a big step with getting us off of the sofa and moving about.  We began painting the exterior siding, making the necessary repairs that are a yearly thing with a home that is just two years short of being a century old.  Not only are we being provided the opportunity to get some great exercise, and fresh air, but we are also improving our neighborhood, and community at the same time.

We have also been making it a point to go see Cathy's mother who is in a nursing home in Lake City, MN (2 hours away).  Lu Jean had a stroke about a month and a half ago and is improving each week.  Lu Jean is only 59 years old, and her mother also had a stroke at a younger age, so it is a real concern for our family, and only adds to our desire to change what we are doing to create a better environment for our longevity.  We also have been going out with Cathy's Dad, and step mom, and Grandpa and Grandma, and one of her Uncles for breakfast every Saturday morning.  My parents live just south of us in Glenville, and we have been working with them in there garden.  Our children our excited to help with the garden, they are spending quality time with there grandparents, and we will reap additional rewards this fall.

We have been working on our diet, especially when we eat out.  We are looking for healthier options, and if none exist, at least the sharing of the meals to reduce the portions seem to be working.  We have also altered our grocery list immensely and have been eating much healthier options when at home.  I personally have reduced the intake of carbonated beverages, especially those with caffeine.

Yesterday we went (Cathy, Bre'Lahna and I) for a walk around the lake.  What a beautiful day!  We talked about life, family matters, and the scenery that we are blest with.  The walk lasted just over 1 hour and 45 minutes, and certainly was worth every second.  The nice part about walking around the lake is that once committed, you really can't turn back.  We are able to talk and share, but more importantly we are able to escape our hurried lives and concentrate on us!

All in all,  the past week and a half has been made better by the very slight changes we have chosen to make on our quest for longevity!

"I will change, my children will adapt, but my grandchildren shall prosper through this experience." 

Week #1 -  

My wife, children and I have been making slight insights into how our family operates daily from the moment we first learned of the Blue Zone Project back in November.  We have not actively pursued many of those ideas until this last week with the kickoff of the Blue Zone / AARP Vitality Project.

First and foremost what a great evening!  Albert Lea residents packed the auditorium and over flowed into the gymnasium for a turnout of over 1300 people, how exciting.  People in Albert Lea are just now starting to realize that this is going to happen with or without them, and they are jumping on board.

For my family we have already altered our grocery list, we examine our choices at local restaurants and we really have been working on the little things in our lives that will have ultimate impact.

Saturday we made sure to take the time (opportunity) to spend with our family.  We got up and met my wife's parents and grandparents for breakfast, then headed to South Dakota to see all of my family at a graduation party for my youngest neice (God daughter).  We left there and headed to the falls in Sioux Falls.  We walked, we talked, and we played together as a family in this natural canvas that only a creator could provide.  Interestingly enough, it was totally free, and yet everyone had a great time.

The rest of the week has been spent on refining how we cook, clean, and spend our time.  The only other truly exciting happening is on Tuesday night when I encouraged Corde' and Andre' to ride bike with me across town for Corde's soccer game.  Cathy met us later for the game after picking up Bre' from her practice and we loaded the bikes in the truck to head home late.

Next week shall be exciting as well.  Cathy and I have our Purpose Workshop with the world renowned speaker on the subject Rich Leider, and we have a long weekend with much planned for our house.  We certainly will be getting our physical activity for the week.