Friends,
I hope you had a nice Christmas
I hope you and your family enjoyed your Christmas together. It’s certainly a nice time of the year to celebrate. Let’s keep in mind the reason for the season as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. I really enjoyed celebrating with family.
Christmas has historically been a hard time of the year for me and my challenges with MS. This year, my MS was better than in the years past. The past two years, I wasn’t able to make it through our family gatherings. My MS would flare up and I would need to go to a quieter place and let my nerves calm down.
This year, my MS still flared up but it took a lot longer and it didn’t get nearly as bad. I was able to make it through our family gatherings and was still able to walk at the end of them. It wasn’t pretty but I was still walking. I recovered much quicker than in the years past as well.
I always try to figure out why this is. MS is hard to figure out even after living with it for all these years. Is it just a fluke? Perhaps, but I’m hoping not. Personally, I think it’s due to increasing my exercise level leading up to the Day of Endurance and then doing the day of endurance. After the Day of Endurance, I’ve been rebounding on the mini-tramopline a lot more consistently. Other than that, I’m not really doing anything different. So who knows why I’m feeling better this year but I’m thankful for it.
Musical Chairs – FUN!
Kate sure knows how to bring out the inner child in us and keep us moving. Last Friday she had us playing Musical Chairs.
Another FUN way to “Just Keep Moving” together. Thanks Kate and everyone who participated!
Myofascial Release – On Friday, December 15th, Carol Anderson gave an excellent demonstration on Myofascial Release. Carol sent me a pdf file with instructions on how to do this at home with the balls she gave to us. I’ve attached that pdf file to this e-mail.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been doing it just about every night since Carol was here. My hands are already loosen up and I’ve been feeling pretty good. Thank you Carol!
Waukesha County Community Foundation – We thank you!
Melissa and Emily came out last Wednesday and presented us with a check for $5,000.00 to put toward our much needed trailer for hauling our trikes without damaging them.
With the help of the Waukesha County Commuinty Foundation, other generous donors and Greg Aukofer for doing the shopping and finding us a really nice used trailer, we were able to get one.
We will be able to get our trikes out on rides much safer for the trikes and much safer and more efficient for our volunteers. Thank you so much to the Waukesha County Community Foundation and to everyone who made donations and made this possible. Thanks to Greg for finding us a good deal on a really nice used trailer as well! A huge thanks also goes out to Joan Ruffino for applying for the grant for us. Thank you to all who helped!
Anonymous Donor Matching Opportunity
Great news! We have met our $5,000.00 matching donation. A huge thank you goes out to everyone who recently donated to help us reach this match. Your donations have been matched 😊. A huge thank you also goes out to our anonymous donor and his wife for initiating this and for so generously donating the match. Thanks so much!
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 yearend 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:
- Go directly online to our website: www.msjustkeepmoving.org
- Just click the “Donate” button on the landing page
- 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.
10:30 – 11:45am Tai Chi led by Ricky
Fridays: Balance training and Core strengthening and Spin Classes
9:30am – 10:00am: Spin Class in front room led by Mike Beiermeister starting January 5, 2024. Bikes are limited so this will be first come first served.
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.
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
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.
Friday, February 23, 2024 11:0am – Noon. Meg Walker who is a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor exercises which help our core strength, bladder issues, etc. Meg will be here to teach us some of these exercises
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, January 5, 2024. 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 460 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
P.S. Anytime I share pictures, I take them within the week I share them. That keeps me motivated to get out in nature and enjoy God’s beauty each week. This time of the year, without snow on the ground, it looks pretty brown and everything looks the same. That motivates me to look a little closer or for something a little different. Even weeds and grass close to dark can be beautiful in their own way.
Some mushrooms are still growing on some stumps.
There is a lot of moss growing in the woods this year
The simple reflections on the water always make a nice picture. Gives us something to reflect upon.
The baby pine trees have some nice green detail to them.
It’s always fun to get some pictures of some birds. This blue jay wanted it’s picture taken.
So did this one. It even found some green grass in December.
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.