Wednesday and Friday Workouts

Friends,
You all made my day last Wednesday
During the cardio class Kate was leading last Wednesday, she asked “How many people are feeling better since we started doing these cardio classes?”  Most hands went up.  You didn’t see me but my eyes started leaking when I saw so many hands go up.  We are so blessed to have Kate leading us through these improvements.  Thank you Kate!

We can’t give Kate all the credit though.  YOU are the ones engaging in the activities and doing the hard work to make these improvements.  Unfortunately, we can’t delegate exercise to someone else and then expect to get the benefits ourselves.  It doesn’t work that way.  If we want the benefits of exercise (which there are SO many) we need to engage in it and do it ourselves.  Let’s not let MS stop us, instead, let’s have it motivate us.

Thank you for taking advantage of the opportunities we are providing, making progress and sharing it with the rest of us.  Let’s keep moving, smiling and loving!

Our friends with MS from EauClaire joined us!
Last Wednesday, we had Shelley and Courtney join us for our cardio workout from EauClaire, Wisconsin through zoom.  They rode right with us and had a great workout.  I’m really excited they will be building a community of friends with MS in EauClaire and join us with our activities.

Shelley and friends, let’s start getting ready for our Day of Endurance journey that we’ll be kicking back off in January.  😊

What are you willing to do?
Last Wednesday after the carido class, Kate asked everyone if they wanted to try Tai Chi.  Tai Chi makes a lot of sense for us with MS.   While the moves are slow, it takes a lot of neurological connections to do it.

I’m so proud of all of you who were willing to give it a try.  You’re so motivated to make progress with your MS.  Amazing group of friends!  I wonder “what’s next”?  😊

Ricky will be leading us through a 15 minute Tai Chi class in person tomorrow morning at 10:45.  I hope you’ll try it again.  Ricky is a great leader of Tai Chi and yoga.

Sharing
I love it when people share.  I happened to see JoAnn and Rich sharing some good stuff on the phone and…some smiles!

Anonymous Donor Matching Opportunity
So many people, myself included are amazed at how many programs we are able to offer for free for people with MS.  Many times, I hear comments like “What’s your magic sauce?  That’s not sustainable”.  I would say our magic sauce is love and love is sustainable.  It’s people helping people for the right reasons.  We have been getting together as a group for almost 11 years now every Wednesday and Friday and we keep doing more and more together.

We have been extremely fortunate and grateful through the years that people and organizations have supported us financially.  We ALL thank you!  We are very frugile and cost conscious with the financial support we receive.  We make sure each dollar gets put to good use.  Perhaps you know someone who would be willing to make a contribution to our mission.

 

 

We would appreciate your help!  Recently an anonymous donor has stepped forward to provide an end of the year donation challenge.  The donor has agreed to donate dollar for dollar up to $5,000 matching donation for all the year-end donations we receive for MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc.

Please consider MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc in your end of the year charitable donations.  Help us reach our goal of making this $5,000 donation a $10,000 aggregate donation.

You can donate one of two ways:

  1. Go directly online to our website:  www.msjustkeepmoving.org
    a.Just click the “Donate” button on the landing page
  3. Send a check to:
    MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc
    W228N791 Westmound Drive
    Waukesha, WI 53186

Through your financial support we can continue to keep our gym open at no cost to our friends with MS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A huge THANK YOU goes out to all who have supported us in the past and continue to…THANK YOU!

Cardio and Balance Programs
These classes are aimed to get everyone exercising together.  I like that word “together” 😊.  We’ll need help from volunteers before and after the cardio class on Wednesday to get members on and off equipment. All are welcome and encouraged to join.

Wednesdays  10-10:30am: Cardio exercise
Location: in the big room using aerobic equipment in front of big TV
Pick your favorite piece of equipment to use, bring a water bottle, and arrive a few minutes early to get the equipment set up to your height.
10:45 – 11:00am Tai Chi led by Ricky

Fridays: Balance training and Core strengthening
10-10:30 am: seated balance class
10:30 – 11am: standing balance class
Pick the class / classes you feel most able and comfortable participating in. We will have chairs set up to sit on and/or use for balance support. 

Email Kate at kborn1234@gmail.com with any questions.

Christmas Party / Year end Thank You to our volunteers – Wednesday, December 11th
We will be having our Christmas Party / Year end Thank You to our volunteers on Wednesday, December 13th@ 11:00 at the gym. There is a sign up sheet at the gym for anyone willing to bring a dish to pass.

Please see or contact Pam Tyler pam@pamsessentials.com with any questions if you’re willing to help in any way.

Let’s have some fun and Thank our volunteers.  We wouldn’t be able to do all we do without them.  That includes our volunteers with MS as well as our volunteers without MS.  Amazing, selfless, loving people.  We are so fortunate to be surrounded by such loving people.

Craft Fair / Bake Sale Sunday, December 17th
Many people from our MS-Just Keep Moving Family are talented and create crafts and good treats.  We will be having a Craft Fair / Bake Sale Sunday, December 17th from 11:00am – 3:00pm.

Again, please see or contact Pam Tyler pam@pamsessentials.com with any questions if you’re willing to help in any way.

All bake sale proceeds and a portion of the craft fair proceeds will go towards our MS-Just Keep Moving mission.  If you’d be willing to bake some goodies and donate them to our bakes sale, please wrap them individually and let Pam know what you’ll be making.

I hope you’ll come and check out all the goodies.  We’ll have a lot of fun stuff there, we just need to get people there.  Please bring or invite your friends and family and help make this a great event.

 

Friday Morning Bike Ride
It’s going to be too cold this Friday…no ride.  Let’s work hard indoors all winter so we’re ready to ride again in the spring.

Educational Sessions

This Friday, December 8th 11:00am – Noon.  Sheri from UW Stevens Point – here to present on proper body mechanics with transferring.
Sheri agreed to do an in-service/ educational session on Friday, December 8th from 11am – 12pm on proper body mechanics with transferring. This is geared for people with MS, their caregivers, and volunteers. Sheri is a physical therapist who specializes in neuro-rehab and currently teaches at UW Stevens Point.

Friday, December 15th  11:00am – Noon.  Carol Anderson will be coming here from Cincinnati, Ohio to teach us about Myofascial Release and show us how to do it on ourselves and others.  This will be very interesting for all of us living with MS as well as all our volunteers, caregivers, etc.

Friday, January 12, 2024  11:00am – Noon.  Rob Multerer, President of the National MS Society – Wisconsin Chapter will be here with a couple of board members to discuss the National MS Society.  Agenda to be determined.

Future topics could include: emotional health, nutrition, yoga, tai chi, wellness topics, safe use of gym equipment for your body, best exercise for you and more.  What topics would you like to see?  Please let Joan, Traci, Ricky or Dan know

 Let’s get together!
We’ll be getting together from 9:00am – noon on Wednesday and Friday mornings at the gym.  I hope you’ll join us!

Wisconsin Metal Parts – Westmound Building
MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc.
W228N791 Westmound Drive
Waukesha, WI 53186

Prayer Group  We’ll be having our prayer group Wednesday @ 11:00am.
I just love the way we share, pray and laugh together while we witness prayers being answered weekly.  It’s truly amazing!

Thanks goes to God and to everyone that joins us.  Let’s get together to share, listen, talk, give thanks, and pray however God leads us.

MS-Just Keep Caring – Our Caregivers support group will be the first and third Friday of each month from 10:00 – 10:30am.  The next one will be Friday, December 15th.  If you’re a caregiver of someone you love with MS, please join us and share your experience of caring for your loved one.  This has been very helpful for many.  Thanks to all who participate!

Our Facebook page is private.  That means you’ll need to join if you want access to all our fun and progress.  We’re now up to 457 members.  That’s awesome!   https://www.facebook.com/groups/2639832389489709

Our Facebook page is very active and fun.  Lots of people are doing more and sharing their journey on Facebook.  Feel free to join, post and share your experiences and comments.

There were some awesome pictures, videos and comments shared again this past week.  Thank you to all who are sharing!

Thai Massage with Ricky Heldt
Ricky will be here Wednesday and Friday doing Thai Massage.

Many continue making great progress with chronic pain relief, range of motion, walking better and a new sense of hope when Ricky works with them.  Please keep in mind that consistency is key.  Not only with Ricky…with exercise too.  We need consistency to realize the benefits long term.  We want you to have long term benefits and relief.

Ricky has a sign up board based on first come first serve.  You can pick the time slot that works for you.  I highly encourage you to take advantage of Ricky’s Thai Massages each day and sign up for your time slot as soon as you get there.

Reiki with Linda  Linda will be here on Fridays doing Reiki.  Many people say Linda’s Reiki work is “magical”.  We’re thankful for Linda sharing her gifts and talents with us.  Feel free to let Linda know you’d like to do Reiki with her.  She also has a sign up sheet.

Inspirational Humor with Adam Wollert
We’ll be having our inspirational humor zoom call with Adam again next Tuesday.  Adam is a gift to all of us.  Thanks to all who joined us today!

Please join us if you can.
Tuesdays @ 1:30PM
Here’s the link to join us…I hope you do!
Join Zoom Meeting with this link

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9431389152?pwd=bWlYbFNaazVnM1M1cWxWMitlODdXUT09

Meeting ID: 943 138 9152
Passcode: 3qP2hu
Phone:   1-312-626-6799

Let’s reach out
I encourage you to share a smile and encouragement with someone.  Perhaps you could call someone that you have not talked with for a while just to say hi and see how they are doing.  We all could use a little extra love and encouragement.

MS is tough.  Let’s have faith, remain calm, be flexible, help each other and learn as much as we can about the challenges of each day as we make good choices.

Let’s keep moving, loving and smiling 😊

In God We Trust…we are in good hands.
Dan

http://msjustkeepmoving.org/

P.S.  I had a really busy week this past week so I didn’t get out to take may pictures.  I did get some more doves flying though.  They fly fast!

The cranes are still in our yard this week.

Whenever I get close to them and ask them how long they’re going to stick around.  I just get a stare as if they don’t understand why I’m asking them that.  They like it here.

The turkeys have been around again this week even though it was raining.  They like our backyard too.  We love our critters.

For those who can’t get out and enjoy nature due your challenges with MS…my heart is with you.  You are with me every time I’m out there.  I enjoy being out there and I also enjoy sharing with you.  I know how hard it is not to be able to get out and enjoy nature.  Let’s enjoy nature and God’s beauty together this way.