Teaching farm safety to kids continued, as Anna Lewandowski, OT graduate student with Nebraska AgrAbility, presented "Stretch B4 U Go!" at the Adams County Safety Day. Nearly 500 fifth and sixth grade students attended the safety day, with about 200 attending her presentation. Her focus was to encourage participants to do daily stretching to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. At the same event, Sharry Nielsen presented sessions titled "Hazardous Look-Alikes: Chemical Safety".
In a train-the-trainer session, Anna Lewandowski presented information and resources on "Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders" at the Nebraska Extension Fall Conference. Participants were the Extension educators who teach in the areas of food, nutrition, and health. Anna presented research, ways to incorporate stretching and safe lifting, ergonomic tools, and resources educators might use in their programming. The brochure she developed can be found at kearney.unl.edu. Anna expanded the presentation to consumers with a television interview and news release on the topic.
Safety Day coordinators from Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming met for training sessions in Hastings, Nebraska, in mid-October. Sharry Nielsen used the opportunity to present a display and lesson adapted from the AgrAbility arthritis lessons, "Kids Get Arthritis, Too!" Coordinators will be able to use the lesson at their safety days in 2013. Thanks to Amber Wolfe for the original lessons and reviewing the lesson revised for school-age children.
Franklin County Health Fair drew about 200 people for health screenings and information. Anna Lewandowski presented a session on preventative stretching and set up an educational exhibit. Sharry Nielsen staffed an exhibit on arthritis and agriculture, distributing Arthritis Foundation and AgrAbility materials.
An occupational therapy student from Creighton University visited Nebraska AgrAbility offices to learn more about the project and participate in a client visit. Ashley Geis shadowed Rod Peterson on an initial client visit to learn more about farm site assessment and the role OTs can have in working with AgrAbility.
Submitted by Sharry Nielsen