Groups Encourage Elementary Students to get Outside during Winter
ThedaCare Physicians-Oshkosh family medicine physician Eric Smiltneek, MD, and Steve Eliasen, a member of the Oshkosh Board of Education, were ice-skating alone on Miller’s Bay in Oshkosh and as they skated past Webster Stanley Elementary and Middle School, an idea formed: invite the students to join them in a skating club.
“We originally had 75 students show interest, which was great,” Dr. Smiltneek said. “We went to thrift stores to find as many skates as possible and acquired nearly 50 pairs of skates through a donation from ThedaCare.”
Last winter, students skated for six sessions on Thursday afternoons. “We achieved our goals of raising awareness of outdoor ice skating and keeping young people active in the winter and the students – along with both Steve and I – had a great time,” Dr. Smiltneek said.
This year, the winter sports program is widening its reach. Eliasen, co-founder of International Youth Sailing/Oshkosh, decided to introduce other outdoor sports – namely cross-country skiing and downhill skiing. He is also working to get members of the Boys & Girls Club involved along with the Webster Stanley students.
“We want to reach as many kids as we can so they can all learn more about these great sports that help them enjoy the natural world around them,” Eliasen said. “Most schools have flat areas around them where kids can cross-country ski or maybe there’s even a sledding hill around where they can try out a little downhill skiing.”
A string of donations is making the expansion possible. A ThedaCare Community Health Improvement Grant designated $1,500 to expand Dr. Eric’s Skating Club and $500 for the sailing club to encourage skiing. In addition, the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation donated funds for skates while NeuroSpine Center of Wisconsin donated funds to purchase helmets. Other donors that helped with the skiing program include The Wallace Family Foundation of Appleton and Heidi and Jason Bemis of Sheboygan.
“We were surprised just how much the students loved the outdoor activities and are so grateful to all the donors,” Eliasen said.
While it may be colder, Dr. Smiltneek said it’s still important everyone gets outside and gets moving, whether it’s ice-skating, skiing, sledding or snowshoeing. “Our society needs to stop spectating and start doing. In the winter it is easy to sit in front of a screen and make excuses that it is too cold and too dark to go outside,” he said. “Outdoor exercise breaks down these excuses and brings excitement to the winter. Kids love being outside and if you let them they will be active. Outdoor winter sports also teach kids skills that they can have for a life time, and can help with self-worth.”
ThedaCare™ is a community health system consisting of seven hospitals: Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, ThedaCare Medical Center-New London, Shawano Medical Center, Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca, Community Memorial Hospital in Berlin, and Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital. ThedaCare also includes ThedaCare Physicians, ThedaCare Behavioral Health, and ThedaCare At Home. ThedaCare is one of the largest employers in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 6,175 employees. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
