Friends,
Our annual Caregivers Retreat next Saturday – Four spots open
Do you have a special caregiver in your life or are you one? How would you like it if they enjoyed a day with other loving caregivers from our MS-Just Keep Moving family and had a great experience together? Please encourage your special caregiver to join us this Saturday.
Replenish, our 4th annual Caregivers Retreat, is on Saturday, September 26th at the Redemptorist Retreat Center on Muddy Lake, near Oconomowoc.
Some late cancellations mean we currently have 4 openings.
MS-JKM pays caregiver expenses – a way of telling them, “Thank you for all you do”.
Are you a caregiver who’s free 9:30 am – 3:30 pm Saturday Sept. 26? (Lunch is included.) We’d love to have you join us.
To register, scan this QR code with your phone or click here [ https://qr1.be/NLQS ].
Our commitment to the retreat center is firm, so when these 4 are taken, we’re full.
Email phil@philipransom.com with your questions.
(If you click to register and it says “2027” you’ll know this year’s is full.
Go ahead and pre-register for NEXT year’s Replenish – Sept 25, 2027.
Day of Endurance Results
I’m still marveling at everyone’s performance at the Day of Endurance. In “addition” to all the effort that was measured in minutes or repetitions, the distance covered by movement in some way was 793.99 miles. That was on top off the joy we shared together.
I had to look at what major cities are about 793.99 miles away. Who would have ever thought our friends with MS would cover the distance from here to New York City or from here to Dallas Texas in one day? To me that’s incredible! We will be using that as an MS-Just Keep Moving mission goal for next year. Let’s work hard “together” this next year as a group to beat that. 😊
When we look at the traditional path MS takes with people compared to these results, these results are amazing in so many ways. THANK YOU! to all who engaged in this journey. I know it wasn’t easy although it shows us what is possible when we do this “together”.
DOE sharing session from the other week YouTube video: https://youtu.be/o1grpT-Jci4
Next Year’s Day of Endurance
Saturday, August 28, 2027
Save the date 😊
I would love it if we have 100% engagement in the journey and 100% participation in the event. Can you imagine how much good food we would have there if everyone brings a favorite dish to pass again? 😊
Painting Bird Houses made by Pete
Thanks, Pete for making bird houses to paint in Christina’s Social and Leisure Activities group last Wednesday. It was great seeing people get together in this way and help each other paint some bird houses. Once again, we are so blessed to have such talent in our circle of friends.
I love it when people truly live our mission of “Friends helping Friends with MS”. It’s a beautiful thing and now the birds will be happy to have some new homes. 😊 Thanks, Pete, Christina and everyone who engaged in this activity!
Christina’s social & leisure activity program
Last week, 12 people beautified bird houses that Pete B kindly built for the group. They painted and stenciled different pictures onto their bird houses. Christina even made a camouflage bird house for Randy to have since he was not able to join us.
Independence First
Cindi Pichler, Senior Assistive Technology Specialist at Independence First, shared with us about Wisconsin’s only assistive technology program. They have a showroom with over 400 gadgets to make things easier in the home, bathroom, office, and car. She can be reached by phone at 414-226-8385 or by email at CPichler@independencefirst.org for questions and consultations
In case you missed it, here’s a YouTube video: https://youtu.be/mKy-XRyZ2bE
Bryant & Stratton College Students and Leaders are back
We are fortunate to have the Bryant & Stratton PTA students will be back at the MS Gym. They will be doing the Strong Strides class each Wednesday. I hope you will engage and personally benefit.
Strong Strides Class – Wednesdays from 11-11:30 over 7 weeks from 9/9-10/21. This is a limited-time class offered by the Bryant & Stratton College PTA students! This session focuses on weight-bearing strength at the hips, knees, and ankles meant to improve walking mechanics. If you attended Dr. Sarah’s presentation on knee hyperextension, you have introductory knowledge on the types of exercises that will be targeted. This class is for individuals who are currently walking – with or without an assistive device and hope to widen their exercise variety in a group setting to gain strength and confidence with walking.
Thursday Morning Walk
We will be back at St Anthony’s again this week. If you would like to walk further next year at the Day of Endurance, now would be a great time to start walking with us. We won’t be walking as far as we did while we were building up.
The long-distance walkers will be starting at 6:30 am. The rest of us will be starting at 9:00am. We will be starting from St. Anthony’s parking lot.
St Anthony’s Church
W280N2101 Prospect Avenue
Pewaukee, WI 53072
Come a few minutes early so we can start walking as close to the starting time you choose as possible. Bring water and dress accordingly.
For those who wish they could walk but can’t, we are walking for you and have you on our minds and in our hearts on these walks.
Friday Morning Bike Ride
Looking at the weather for this Friday, it looks like we should be able to ride.
We had a really nice ride last Friday. I liked it when Larry asked me something like “How do you like going from a popular person to a very unpopular person?” We finally went all the way up the hill by Maple Avenue and the golf course. It’s a challenge getting up there but we all felt good after we conquered it and made it back down safely.
These bike rides are amazing! I love it how we all get to ride together.
We’ll be meeting Friday morning at 7:00am at Nettesheim Park in Pewaukee. It’s on the SE corner of Hwy SS and Oak Street. The GPS address is: N26W27495 Prospect Ave, Pewaukee, WI 53072.
Come a little early so you can get your bike out of your car and be ready to ride as close to 7:00am as possible. We’ll ride until about 8:45. Let’s ride and have some fun!
For those who wish you could join us but can’t; please know we have you in our hearts on these rides. We’re riding with you and for you. I hope you too can join us someday.
Educational Videos
More of our speakers and educational presentations are being uploaded on our YouTube channel. Here’s a link, check them out.
https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UClvyB43uSl1wJSoGBJkSeCw
Let’s get together – Open Gym plus programs!
We’ll be getting together from 7:00am – noon on Monday through Friday mornings at the gym. Plus, Monday and Wednesday evenings from 4:30pm – 6:30pm and Tuesday afternoons for the aquatics program. I hope you’ll join us!
Where:
Wisconsin Metal Parts – Westmound Building
MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc.
W228N791 Westmound Drive
Waukesha, WI 53186
Email Dr Kate Kern at kborn1234@gmail.com with any questions.
Exercise class schedule Feedback welcome to make this as best as it can be!
Nutrition Program.
Maria and the people who engage in our nutrition program discussed carbohydrates this week in depth. That’s such an important topic for all of us living with MS.
If you are not engaging in our nutrition program, I would highly encourage you to do so. At least read the handouts that Janine and Maria prepare for us each week and apply the information into your lifestyle.
Here’s a link to the full handout:
Nutrition: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MAbfU19ayDrbvV-NF_RYJUkp2DRfPYZz/view?usp=drive_link
Janine and Maria put a lot into these presentations. It’s wonderful for them to share these presentations with those who can’t be here. It’s even more impactful for people who can be here in person to get the information first hand and be able to get questions answered and learn from others living with MS.
I would highly encourage you to engage in our nutrition program Monday mornings @ 9:00am so you can benefit at a high level. All are encouraged to come; people with MS, loved ones, care takers, volunteers, etc.
Thank you, Janine and Maria!
Prayer Group We’ll be having our prayer group Wednesday from 11:00am – noon.
I just love the way we share, pray and laugh together while we witness prayers being answered weekly. It’s truly amazing!
Thanks go 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 this Friday, September 18th, 2026. 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!
Member Spotlight – Patrice Moscicki
So many of us are happy to see Patrice at the gym working so hard. This hasn’t been easy for her. Patrice has such a positive and infectious attitude as well as determination and hard work ethic. Thanks for being such an inspiration to me and so many more, Patrice!
Ed and Adam’s Podcast
Adam and Ed didn’t make a new podcast last week. Hopefully, next week. Here’s the previous one.
Adam and Ed had created a podcast that’s All About Adam…AAA
Here’s the link:
All About Adam by Positive Vibes Living with MS
Craft and Bake Sale
“Calling all craftspeople, bakers, cooks, artists, seamstresses; and wood, glass and pottery workers! The 4th annual Christmas Shopping and Bake Sale Benefit for the MS gym is fast approaching. This fundraiser highlights the talented members and volunteers of our gym who donate and/or sell handmade goods.
The dates will be Wednesday, December 2nd and Friday, December 4th, 9am until 12:30pm at the gym. If you are interested in being a vendor (non-professionals welcome), please notify Reiki Linda in person or email her at lckamaria4@gmail.com.
Hint: food sells well! Athena will be selling her specialty cakes, and Linda C makes hot sauces and jams. That leaves: flavored oils & vinegars, dried foods, mustards, salsas, popcorn, etc.”
MS-Just Keep Moving Open House
Our MS-Just Keep Moving open house will be Saturday, November 7th this year.
Save the Date and plan to bring your families, friends, people who have supported us, anyone you know with MS, etc.
Social and Leisure Activity
Educational Sessions
This Friday, September 18th 11:00-12:00pm: Lauren E. Shuda, MD, Assistant Professor Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Medical College of Wisconsin, will talk to us about spasticity management.
Friday, September 25th 11:00-12:00pm: With the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period coming up from October 15 – December 7, along with some of you who may soon become eligible for Medicare, there will be a presentation about Medicare, September 25. Rick Talbert, a licensed health insurance agent, will be giving the presentation called Medicare 101: What You Need To Know. It’s for individuals new to Medicare as well as those already on Medicare, but who may have questions or would like an updated review.
Friday, October 9th 11:00am – 1:00pm: Somananda Yogi will present to us about Traditional Medicine. Please come with questions for Yogi to learn how it can help you manage your MS symptoms.
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 Dr Kate, Joan, Traci, Ricky or Dan know.
Day of Endurance Training
Event is Saturday, August 28,2027 – Training is now
What: Do what you can
- Consistent Daily Exercise
- One long day per week – increase each week – no more than 10% per week
- Buddy up and exercise together
- Enjoy the journey 😊
Shoe Donations
Do you have any shoes you can donate? Becky Thomas is collecting old or new shoes supporting Soles for Jesus. These shoes will be distributed to people in need of shoes in Africa. Becky dropped off a box for us to drop them in. Please bring in shoes if you have any extras.
Coughs, colds, flus, etc. – Let’s not share
There are a lot of bugs going around. If you are experiencing any symptoms, please stay home and recover from them instead of sharing with the rest of us at the gym. We look forward to you getting over it and having you back quickly.
Research Needs us!
Marquette University, UW Milwaukee, University of Illinois, and Carroll University have research opportunities they would like us to engage in. We have flyers and more information about these opportunities at the gym. Please engage in these opportunities if you qualify. You could make improvements yourself and you could be helping so many other people with MS as they face their challenges. We really need to get this MS thing figured out and you can help by engaging in these research opportunities.
Dr Ng Needs more participants
Dr Alex Ng from Marquette University reached out to me with this message. I would highly encourage you to participate in this research if you’re able to.
HI Dan,
I want to resend our study recruitment notice for our “singing study”. We actually have two studies going and we can sort eligible participants into the best one for them. Note that our age range has expanded to 20 to 80 yr. Still not completely inclusive but a step in the right direction. Any help you could give us to help get the word out would be appreciated! Thanks for what you created for the MS community.
Take care,
Alex
Alexander Ng, PhD, FACSM
Professor Emeritus
Program in Exercise Science
Department of Physical Therapy
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881
414-288-6209 (ph)
414-288-6079 (fax)
Here’s a research opportunity that Marquette University is doing for all of living with MS. I would highly encourage you to engage in this if you qualify.
Our Facebook page is private. That means you’ll need to join if you want access to all our fun and progress. We broke 700 friends! We’re now at 707 members. That’s awesome! https://www.facebook.com/groups/2639832389489709
Our Facebook page is 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!
Metals for MS
Thank you to all who brought in aluminum cans, gutters, copper, brass, etc. Please keep bringing them in…you are helping us. We took another load of aluminum cans in as well as some electrical cords, aluminum extrusions, race medals, etc. We received $248.20 for the cans and #844.16 for the electric cords, aluminum and race medals. Our total is up to $3,345.35 so far. That’s really good…thank you!
Please keep bringing in your Metals for MS. It’s adding up nicely!
Parking
If you are able-bodied and willing to park across the street in the Acuity Foam lot so people with mobility challenges can park in our lot, please do so. We want to make it easy for people with mobility challenges to park and get into our building safely. Thank you for doing that!
Gym Open and Close Procedure
If you’re the first to come or the last to leave the gym, please use this procedure for opening and shutting down.
Thai Massage with Ricky and Nyani
Ricky will be here on Wednesdays doing Thai Massage.
Nyani will be here on Fridays doing Thai Massage
Our goal is to serve as many people who come to the gym consistently as we can with these Thai Massage services. Going forward we will be doing a rotational schedule to accommodate as many people as we can who need and want a massage.
There are some guidelines written up at the gym. Please respect the guidelines so we can serve as many people as we can. Please sign up according to the guidelines.
Here’s a link to the guidelines: Thai Massage at MS-Just Keep Moving
Reiki on Fridays
Reiki is available at the gym, for FREE on Fridays with Linda C, 9:30am until noon. Sessions typically last 20-30 minutes. Sign up for a session on the white board.
Reiki (ray-kee) relaxes the body so that healing can occur! The “magic” of Reiki has helped some of our members with pain, insomnia, constipation, and so much more! Try it the next time you are at the gym!
Here’s a Link to information about Reiki: Reiki at MS-Just Keep Moving
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 and take action.
Let’s keep moving, smiling, and loving 😊 It helps in many ways!
In God We Trust…we are in good hands.
Dan
Our Website: http://msjustkeepmoving.org/
Phone: (262) 232-8552
P.S. The squirrels have been busy lately. This one had two walnuts at once being prepared to be buried.
I put a few words to this one
This squirrel had some nice lighting in our backyard at sunset. He was a curious little guy.
Saturday morning, I went for a 48-mile bike ride with a backpack and my camera on my back. I didn’t see anything for the first 40 miles. Then I saw an egret. I had no idea a carp would surface as I took the picture.
I figured if I watched it long enough, it would find some food. Sure enough.
I also saw a Great Blue Heron hanging out
I tried to get a little closer. It decided to fly away from me.
We’ve been fortunate to have a family of four Sandhill Cranes hanging out in our backyard lately. They’re fun to watch.
For those who cannot get out and enjoy nature due your challenges with MS…my heart is with you. You are with me every time I am out there. I enjoy being able to share 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.
