Monday night, the steering committee for “Jumpstart Jefferson” initiative held a public brainstorming meeting for ideas on how to best use a $9,500 grant this spring.

The city of Jefferson was nominated by Region XII in Carroll for a community grant from the Iowa Department of Public Health.  The grant was awarded to Jefferson to promote better nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention this spring.

Chuck Offenberger with the steering committee says the meeting started with an overview of what was currently available for people.

“We did an assessment of the nutritional assets that are available in the area as well as the physical activities resources that there are.”

Then the hardest part is figuring out where the money should go.

“And then we tried to look at what ties all those things together and what could use a significant investment.”

He comments that several ideas came out of the meeting.  There were suggestions for a frisbee golf course, awareness of walking paths around the county, assisting families with memberships to places like the community center and the pool.  Other possibilities considered were providing kids with healthy snacks on the weekends and parent universities where parents could take classes about preventing childhood obesity or general nutrition.

Offenberger notes that a grant like this will be done immediately because its only good for the rest of the year.

Another meeting will be held tomorrow at noon at the meeting room of the Greene County Community Center.  Offenberger hopes to have a couple of specific topics chosen by then so that the project can be submitted to Region XII by the end of next week.  The public is invited to attend tomorrow’s meeting.