The Cuyuna Range Youth Center held an event today where students from Crosby-Ironton were able to learn about resources in the community to help them stay healthy and happy. The Youth Center is an organization that provides a free, fun, and safe place for kids to hangout on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.

“We try to bring in different programming groups and allow some volunteering opportunities as well – cooking and skill sessions, stuff like that,” explained Megan Cummings, Director of the Cuyuna Range Youth Center. “A fun, safe place for them to be with their friends.”

The Youth Center has put on a health fair for the last two years to introduce seventh, eighth, and ninth graders to the center and also to health resources available in the community.

“Yes, they have their health class, but this accentuates that. It doesn’t just show the Youth Center. It shows all the important pieces that they can have for resources,” said Jackie Normes, Board Chair at the Cuyuna Range Youth Center.

“We reached out to our community supporters, our community partners, asked them to come in so we kind of show that, ‘yes, this many people care about you. You matter to us. This is all about you today,’” added Cummings.  

There were games, door prizes, free books, food, and even Zumba demonstrations for the attendees to participate in.

“The Zumba’s been a hit, dance fitness; making them feel like, ‘I’m not exercising, I’m not being punished,’ but it’s a fun way that can roll over into your life well beyond teenage years,” said Cummings.

Students were able to wander the fair and visit booths, each demonstrating a different health topic or service in the community.

“It’s great. It’s lots of fun. People are dancing. I’m having a Subway sandwich,” said Adam Cady, a freshman who attended the event. “It’s just a good day.”

The Youth Center’s main goal with the fair is to prepare students for whatever challenges they might be facing or that they may face in the future.

“If they’re not experiencing this right now, they have a resource and they know, ‘I remember when I went to the health fair, they talked about this and now I know I can go talk to someone and say – how can I find out about these people again?’” explained Normes.

Over 200 students walked through the doors of the Youth Center today, each taking home something different and helpful from the health fair.

The health fair was made possible through a grant from Crow Wing Energized.  

By — Rachel Johnson

Lakeland News Lead Reporter