Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving!
What do we have to be thankful for? Not only on Thanksgiving, but everyday all year, I thank God for my relationship with Him, my family, friends and for everyone making our MS-Just Keep Moving mission possible (who are also friends).
I wish you and your family a nice Thanksgiving. Let’s reflect on the blessings in our lives and be thankful for them.
Are we open Wednesday and Friday this week? The answer is YES. I’m guessing you’ll be eating too much as you celebrate. Let’s prepare for it on Wednesday and wear it back off on Friday. Kate will be here both days leading classes. I hope you will join us and “Just Keep Moving” 😊.
Mental Health with MS Presentation and discussion last Friday
Thank you to all that came to the presentation Bryanna Bruger, a neuropsychologist working at Aurora Health Care gave to us. She had great content and I loved how so many engaged and shared their experiences of dealing with MS from a mental and emotional perspective. It was powerful!
Thank you so much Bryanna for putting all this information together for us and presenting it so well. You did a great job…Thank you!
Game Night looked fun!
After Bryanna’s presentation, we had a game night just for fun. I didn’t get to stay for it but it looked like everyone was having fun.
So good to see 😊.
Our Bake / Craft Sale is coming up quickly – Next Wednesday and Friday
If you’re willing to bake something for the bake sale, we would appreciate it. Please bring your baked goods in individually wrapped and ready for sale Tuesday afternoon 12/2 or Wednesday morning 12/3.
If you’re willing to support us during the bake / craft sale, please bring cash or check. Most of our vendors do not take credit cards. Please invite your family / friends to come support us.
Giving Tuesday – Next Tuesday, December 2nd
We would love it if you would consider our MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc. mission. If you know me at all, you know that I don’t like asking people for money but I really appreciate the people who support us. It’s critical to our mission that we do what we do for free for people with MS. Because of MS, many of our friends with MS are on disability of some sort and very limited income. If we charged people to come, many would not be able to.
If you’re able and willing, please consider MS-Just Keep Moving, Inc. as a beneficiary to your Giving Tuesday or yearend giving. 100% of your contribution will go directly to our mission of helping people with MS.
Here are some ways you can give:
So many of you have and continue to support us each year with volunteering, financial support, etc. THANK YOU! We appreciate you and wouldn’t be able to do what we do without your love and support.
How did Rick do last week?
Rick had another good week last week. He came a little later so he had to work hard in the amount of time he had with us. He walked again, he rebounded again, he went up and down the stairs again. Instead of going down the stairs backwards, he started going down the stairs forward. That’s a big step. Rick did the rejuvenation therapy each day. Rick also did 30 minutes of rebounding both days. On Friday, he did the entire standing balance class on the rebounders with the rest of the people.
I’m looking forward to Rick having another good week this week.
Great job Rick! Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
I’m really thankful JoAnn Schmitz came in and taught us about the lymphatic system and what she teaches patients when they come to her. It’s been fun putting her knowledge to use and seeing the results. Thanks JoAnn!
Rebounding on the trampoline pumps our lymphatic system in our entire body as well.
Standing Balance Class on Rebounders
I love it when I see so many people on the rebounders for the standing balance class. Last Friday was a great example of that. Rebounding has been so MS friendly and life changing for me, I want more people to experience this. I love it when I see people gain confidence, balance and endurance quite rapidly knowing their entire lymphatic system is being pumped when rebounding. Let’s keep bouncing, building strength, endurance, improving balance, coordination, etc. 😊 It’s great for fall prevention and so much more. Plus…it’s FUN!
Nutrition Program
This week, Janine and our nutrition program covered the topic of Salt. All the different types of salt and their uses. How is salt good for us? How is salt bad for us?
Here’s a link to the handout:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Nkf_G9IE38Z8gJK4W_0Fex2xSrE5f-CK/view?usp=drive_link
Janine puts a lot into these presentations. It’s wonderful for her 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!
Member Spotlight – Barbara Bythell
Every time I see Barbara at the gym, she’s working hard and smiling. That’s a great combination. I’m thankful she’s doing so well and inspiring others. Thanks Barbara!
Ed and Adam’s Podcast
Adam and Ed had Terry join them this week. Adam made Terry feel loved right away. 😊
Here’s the link:
Talking with Terry by Positive Vibes Living with MS
Thanks Adam, Ed and Ava for doing these podcasts together!
Let’s get together!
We’ll be getting together from 8:00am – noon on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at the gym. Plus, Monday evenings from 4:00pm – 7:00pm 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
Exercise 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 Wednesdays and Fridays to get members on and off equipment. All are welcome and encouraged to join…friends with MS, volunteers, and caregivers.
Monday Mornings
6:30am – 8:00am – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
8:00am – 9:00am – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
9:00am – Nutrition Program – Friends with MS, caretakers and volunteers are encouraged to engage.
9:00am – Noon – Open gym and Neubie use for independent members, or those who come with a care partner.
10:00am – Seated and/or standing stretching, strength, and balance with Ricky
Monday evenings (open gym from 4:00pm – 7:00pm)
5:00 pm: High intensity interval training (HIIT)
5:30 pm: Standing balance
6:00 pm: Seated balance
Tuesday Mornings
6:30am – 8:00am – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
TBD – 10:00 – 11:00? – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
Tuesday afternoons
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm: Aquatic exercise program held at Wildwood Lodge – Pewaukee
2:00 pm – 2:45 pm: Aquatic exercise program held at Wildwood Lodge – Pewaukee
Wildwood Lodge has a lift available to get people in wheelchairs in and out of the pool safely
Wednesdays
6:30am – 8:00am – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
8:00am – 8:30am – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
8:30am – 9:00am: 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.
9:30am – 10:00am: Seated Balance
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.
10:30am – 11:00am: Seated and/or standing stretching, strength, and balance with Ricky
11:00am – noon: Prayer Group
Thursdays
6:30am – 8:00am: Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
TBD – 10:00 – 11:00? – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
8:30am – 11:00am Outdoor walking – contact Joan, Pam or Dan to find out where we’re walking.
Fridays:
6:30am – 8:00am – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
8:00am – 8:45am – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
8:45am – 9:30am – Spin Class – Starting December 12th, Mike Beiermeister will host a winter spin class starting at 8:45am. The class is 45 minutes in duration and meets in the front room with the spin bikes.
9:30 – 10:00am: High intensity interval training (HIIT) body weight circuit class. Great for those who aren’t attending Friday morning bike rides and want to get their heart pumping! Geared to intermediate to advanced ability level. Class may be indoors or outdoors depending on weather. Find Dr Kate at the start of the class time.
10:00 – 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 Dr Kate Kern at kborn1234@gmail.com with any questions.
Friday Morning Bike Rides
We had a great season of bike riding from spring until fall. We are done for the season.
Let’s think spring so we can get back out there again! Until Spring…Let’s Bounce 😊 Check out our rebounding opportunities.
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 and inserted below. 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.
You get paid $180.00 to do this one and it’s all done online.
Educational Sessions
We will be scheduling more in the near future
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.
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 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 5th, 2025. 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 at 665 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 are up to $1,461.36 so far this year.
Parking
If there are able-bodied people willing to park across the street in the Acuity 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.
Open and closedown procedures.docx
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 (Linda C and Mary R), 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!
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 God We Trust…we are in good hands.
Dan
Our Website: http://msjustkeepmoving.org/
P.S. It was opening weekend for gun season deer hunting this past weekend. Did I go hunting? Not with a gun, just with my camera. The morning started out seeing these two doe in the frosty corn /grass.
This little buck was pretty calm
I saw a bunch of doe together. Nice setting.
I saw this one nice buck but the camera kept focusing on the brush in front of it. I had to manually focus the camera through the brush and by that time, he stated walking away. Nice deer though.
These two look like they were enjoying their morning together.
I saw a nice looking pheasant. I haven’t seen one of them for a while.
Hard to believe this hawk could sit on that little branch. He seemed happy there.
I love it when I see bald eagles
I made it down by the river and caught this seagull catching a fish
One Double-crested Cormorant was swimming and another one did a fly by
They’re fun to watch take off. It takes a while for them to get up in the air.
Saw another eagle fly by
When the sun was going down, the water all turned orange for a few minutes…not long.
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.
