Friends,
Today is Veteran’s Day
Please hug and thank all the veterans you know. They deserve that.
A huge thank you goes out to all veterans.
MS-Just Keep Moving Open House Saturday
Our open house on Saturday was amazing. A huge thanks goes out to all our friends with MS that came and worked out so hard all three hours showing our guests what we do. I bet many of you were exhausted by the time we were done. No worries…you’ll recover 😊
It certainly was a fast moving and active event.
Most of the feedback was that people liked seeing what we actually do. Some of the other feedback I heard was that people really didn’t know what was all going on. That’s certainly understandable. There was a lot going on.
I think the active format gave our guests a good perspective on “why” our friends with MS love it here and improve their lives socially, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and even physically despite living with the challenges of MS. Unfortunately, we don’t have a cure for it but we can certainly help in many ways.
Our friends with MS sure do work hard…together 😊
And have FUN together. Who would have ever thought people with MS could have so much fun together?
I really loved the stories shared. They were from the heart and inspirational in so many ways. Thanks to all who shared their stories! You did great 😊
It made me feel really good that we had so many people with MS, family members, loved ones, friends, supporters, researchers, doctors, community partners, etc. come together at our event. Never in my wildest dreams did I think people would come together the way we are all coming together.
I’ve said it many times and it keeps becoming more and more apparent that this is much bigger than my plan. God has a much larger plan for all of us sharing His love for us. I’m really excited to see what He has in store for us going forward. Let’s keep our minds open, our hearts open, allow God into our lives and do what He calls us to do. I have faith that it’s going to be good.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to everyone that makes our mission possible and everyone that supports us in so many ways. THANK YOU!
More rebounding opportunities for the rest of the fall, winter and early spring
Rebounding has helped many of us with and without MS make life changing progress since last winter. We will be offering more opportunities for our friends with MS, volunteers and loved ones Monday through Friday going forward. I would highly encourage you to take advantage of these extremely beneficial opportunities. Consistency is so helpful.
I have a sign-up sheet at the gym to let me know when you would like to join us. Please let me know so we can structure some classes around the schedule that works for the majority.
Here’s the schedule as of now:
Monday Mornings
6:30am – 8:00am – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
8:00am – 9:00am – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and 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
Wednesday Mornings
6:30am – 8:00am – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
8:00am – 8:30am – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
Thursday Mornings
6:30am – 8:00am: – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
TBD 10:00 – 11:00? – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
Friday Mornings
6:30am – 8:00am – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
8:00am – 9:00am – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
How did Rick do last week?
Rick had three really good days with us last week if we include the open house. On Wednesday, Rick walked 250 feet when he first got here, did a rejuvenation therapy and then walked 600 feet. He then did another rejuvenation therapy and walked another 300 feet for 1,150 feet total.
On Friday, he did the rejuvenation therapy first and then walked up stairs. He walked all the way up the stairs right foot over left foot, etc. all the way to the last two steps. That was amazing! He walked one foot at a time to get the last two steps. He then did another rejuvenation therapy and made it to the top again. This time he wasn’t able to go left foot over right foot, he went right foot first and then had the left foot catch up to him. That was a big accomplishment for him.
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 trampolines pumps our lymphatic system as well.
Nutrition Program
Janine is back. It was good to see her at the open house and at the 8:00 rebounding class Monday morning before the nutrition program. We missed you Janine…welcome back!
When we started the nutrition program, we were hoping we would build a community around nutrition. I’m thankful to know this is happening. I hope it continues to grow and more people will benefit from the program and from each other.
This week our nutrition covered the topic of “Healthy While Traveling”. That sounds like a great topic as the holidays are approaching us and we might be doing some traveling. Here’s an apple crisp recipe Janine shared you might want to make.
Apple Crisp (https://wisconsinlocalfood.org/recipe/apple-crisp/)
INGREDIENTS: Apples, oats, brown sugar, sugar, water, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, butter
Here’s a link to the handout:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17Syn9t9YAz0aW6H5sEz6IQ_Ie50tUCtS/view?usp=sharing
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!
Craft and Bake Sale – Wednesday, December 3rd 9:00am – 1:00pm and Friday, December 5th 9:00am – 1:00pm
If you would like to have a table for a craft or baked good, please let Pam Tyler know. We are finalizing who will all be here with their goods.
More info to come 😊
Member Spotlight – Tonia Butkovic
I’m so happy to hear Tonia has been so consistent in the water aerobics program, Monday evening program and making progress. Great job Tonia!
Ed and Adam’s Podcast
Adam and Ed had JoAnne join them as they talked about the 70’s, 80’s and holidays.
Here’s the link:
Talking 70s, 80s, and Holidays with Joanne 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 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. You can meet up with us at any time within this time period. Last week Laura joined us on the Grit Chair. We had a nice walk.
Fridays:
6:30am – 8:00am – Rebounding – Total Body Functional Fitness and Stretching
8:00am – 9:00am – Rebounding – Gentle Functional Fitness and Balance
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 and UW Milwaukee both 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.
Educational Sessions
Wednesday, November 12th 11:00 – 12:00pm – Joy Cochran, PT, DPT Founder & Owner of Joy Explorations Joy is a credentialed balance and falls professional will present and demo how to safely fall to the ground.
Friday, November 14th 11:00 – 12:00pm: Alex Pier from Tactile Medical will showcase and demonstrate an intermittent pneumatic leg compression device. https://tactilemedical.com/our-lymphedema-solutions/for-the-lower-body/nimbl-for-lower-body/
Friday, November 21st 5:00 – 6:00pm: Bryanna Bruger, neuropsychologist working at Aurora Health Care will talk to us about mental health.
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 this Friday, November 21st, 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 662 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 Wednesdays and Fridays
Reiki is available at the gym, for FREE, on Wednesdays (Mary B, Jill K) and 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 a busy week for me last week with the open house on Saturday. I still tried to get out in nature a bit to enjoy the fall beauty.
Last week, the colors were peaking. This week the leaves are all falling.
Did you get a chance to see the moon this past week? I was out looking for deer at sunset one evening and the moon took priority over the deer. It was pretty cool watching geese fly by the moon.
I could see the moon was going to rise through trees by this cross on the Baptist Church on Golf Rd by Pewaukee. I waited for about 20 minutes until it got in a nice spot.
As it got a little higher, I tried to get a little closer
Then I ran out of light. I gave thanks to God for the nice evening and went home.
It’s been windy lately. The milkweed seeds were trying to hang in there.
This turkey came up to me and wanted it’s picture taken. I said…ok, smile! That’s as good as I could get it to smile.
The doves stand out with the colored leaves in the background.
This one looks nice on the rock in our backyard.
We had another nice sunset last night in our backyard.
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.
