Brooksie Way Minigrants help support Oakland County projects

Fourteen Oakland County projects--which range from a martial arts program for kids with cancer to a bowling league for developmentally disabled adults--received checks Monday from the Brooksie Way Minigrant program. The awards were handed out by County Executive L. Brooks Patterson during a news conference in the Oakland County Executive Office Building. The 14 minigrants totaled $17,204 in the final round of funding for 2010. "In little more than a year, the Brooksie Way Minigrant program has put more than $50,000 back into Oakland County communities, touching thousands of lives along the way" Patterson said. "With the continued support of our sponsors and the runners and walkers who compete in the Brooksie Way Half Marathon races, we're making a real difference in our communities." Patterson created the minigrant program to use proceeds from the Brooksie Way Half Marathon to improve the quality of life for Oakland County residents by promoting healthy, active lifestyles. Minigrants are awarded three times a year. Grant guidelines and applications are available on the Brooksie Way website, www.thebrooksieway.com. The applications are accepted and reviewed three times a year: April 1, Aug. 1, and Dec. 1. Support from HealthPlus of Michigan, the presenting sponsor for the Brooksie Way Half Marathon, helps make the minigrant program possible. The race is set for Oct. 2 at Oakland University in Rochester Hills. Since its inception in 2010, the program has given out more than $50,000 in minigrants to various groups. Monday's awards were given to the following organizations: * Centro Multicultural La Familia, Inc.--grant amount: $1,300. The Pontiac group is offering a program, "Mothers and Children Staying Active," for their clients. The goal of the program is to teach families the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. * Rochester Downtown Development Authority--grant amount: $2,000. Fire & Ice Fest is the premier winter activity for families in Oakland County. The three-day family event features winter activities including ice skating, tube sledding, broomball, dog sleds rides, cross-county skiing and snow shoeing, all free of charge. * Orion Township Parks & Recreation--grant amount: $1,000. Orion Township Parks & Recreation is partnering with the Lake Orion DDA and Oakland County Parks and Recreation to present the "Doggie Dash & Pet Expo." Dog lovers of all ages are invited to walk with their pets on Saturday, October 8. * Great Lakes Cancer Institute--grant amount: $1,200. "Managing Cancer through Health & Fitness" The institute is hosting a 12-week workshop series that focuses on the benefits of health and fitness for people diagnosed with cancer. The program will be held at the McLaren Physical Therapy Sports Medicine and Fitness Center in Clarkston. * HAVEN--grant amount: $975. "Fun with Food, Fitness & Family Project" will be offered to adult and child clients staying at HAVEN's domestic violence shelter and to non-residential counseling clients from other HAVEN programs. The project will feature a series of exercise classes accompanied by cooking demonstrations featuring low cost, healthy foods and drinks. * Houston Fitness Consultants--grant amount: $1,000. Houston Fitness Consultants are developing a program to "combat" childhood obesity--Childhood Obesity Prevention Squad (C.O.P.S. Fitness). The program includes production of a video exercise program and development of a website to be made available free to Oakland County school teachers and coaches. * Catholic Social Services of Oakland County-Hispanic Outreach--grant amount: $1,000. The grant will support a soccer league for children in Pontiac. * Oakland Family Services--grant amount: $1,873. Oakland Family Services will use grant funds to purchase play equipment for their Children's Learning Center, a nationally accredited childcare center service children from birth to age 5. * Holly Academy--grant amount: $500. The "Fitness Run/Walk" program at Holly Academy is focused on getting the students, faculty and local neighborhood residents active and more physically fit. The grant will enhance the school's walking path with several exercise stations. * Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve--grant amount: $1,000. Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve will purchase 12 sets of children's cross county skis and poles for its program, "Winter Recreation Rocks!" It introduces children to the many outdoor recreational activities available during the winter months. * New Passages--grant amount: $1,334. New Passages operates seven residential homes for developmentally disabled adults. The grant funding will be used to create a bowling league for the residents, providing physical activity and community integration. * Eagle Creek Academy--grant amount: $1,400. The academy is sponsoring an after school gymnastics club called "Fantastic Gymnastics!" The grant funds will be used to purchase equipment including gym mats and a balance beam. * Judson Center--grant amount: $1,722. The Judson Center will purchase adult tricycles and biking helmets for each of their six group homes. * Kids Kicking Cancer--grant amount: $900. The grant will help fund the "Kids Kicking Cancer" martial arts therapy program at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland. The Brooksie Way joins Count Your Steps (CYS), another successful health program founded by Patterson. Count Your Steps encourages elementary children and families to engage in more physical exercise through a pedometer walking challenge. CYS/Brooksie Way is organized to develop and implement one or more programs to educate school age children and their parents on the importance of a healthy diet and exercise and to foster and promote programs to encourage public health and fitness. Published: Wed, Mar 23, 2011

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