featured community spotlights
Isanti County, MN
about
The Isanti County Active Living partnership strives to create an environment that encourages residents to be more physically active and healthy. The partnership helps create safe biking and walking routes throughout Cambridge, Isanti, and Braham, the county's three primary cities. They also promote the benefits of daily activity and help residents overcome the psychological barriers and habits inhibiting healthy lifestyles. The Isanti County Active Living partnership is a model for promoting policy changes in a multijurisdictional setting, especially for rural communities interested in trail projects.
The partnership engaged the Cambridge Lutheran Church to form the senior walking program and assisted the Cambridge Medical Center with its obesity program, which has included providing "Walk the Town" maps for distribution in waiting rooms and examination rooms. With support from the Chamber of Commerce, the partnership has also published walking routes of Cambridge, Braham, and Isanti on the Isanti County map. The Heritage Green development, currently under construction, was influenced by the partnership to create an active living community design. The development features sidewalks on both sides of the street, alleys, front porches, mixed housing and office space, and a community park. Part of the Cambridge-Isanti Bike/Walk Trail, for which the partnership successfully raised over $175,000, will run through the neighborhood.
The Isanti County Active Living partnership includes the cities of Cambridge, Isanti, and Braham, Isanti Township, Isanti County, the Cambridge Medical Center, the School District, the Minnesota Department of Health, Cambridge-Isanti Bike/Walk Trail Committee, Isanti County Parks and Recreation, Isanti County Environmental Coalition, Isanti County Commission on Aging, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Grandview Christian Ministries, Rotary Club, Anoka Ramsey Community College, and others.
our story
Every Tuesday morning in the spring, summer, and fall, Alf Stratte and fellow seniors in the town of Cambridge gather at the Cambridge Lutheran Church for the Senior Walking program. In the winter, the group meets indoors twice a week for physical activity. This program was initiated in response to a focus group in which Cambridge residents requested physical activity options organized around the faith community. The senior walking program is part of "Faithfully fit," a church program combining physical activity, healthy eating, and meditation. As a result of the program, local seniors are walking more. For example Alf, a local retired pharmacist and 78 years old, became interested in the program through a pedometer giveaway at his church. Soon Alf was a regular member of Faithfully fit. He now walks six miles a day and encourages others to follow his lead.
opportunities
Isanti County has a population of approximately 34,000 residents, and its population is projected grow to 40,000 over the next five years. Parts of the county can be considered a bedroom community for the Minneapolis- St. Paul region, and Isanti County has one of the highest rates of population increase and development in the country. Isanti County is also partially self-sustaining as a rural community. Its rural setting and northern climate are perceived as barriers to physical activity. Over 55% of the county's adults are overweight, a dramatic increase since 1997 when approximately 30% of the population was overweight. Another barrier is the absence of a safe walking or biking route between the cities of Cambridge, Isanti, and Braham.
The partnership is focused on assisting Isanti County with a comprehensive planning process that will create a Master Plan for Active Living, including strategies for trails, parks, and greenway development. In addition, the partnership will continue to develop the Isanti County Bike/Walk Trail by securing the trail corridor, fundraising, conducting preliminary design activities, and garnering support from local officials and the communities.
accomplishments
In Action
