Healthy Community Initiative

A Northfield woman who has served as a longtime youth mentor has received the Healthy Community Initiative “Making a Difference” Award for October. The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. Mary Carlson was matched with a middle school student seven years ago through the […]

A Northfield businessman who’s provided job experience for hundreds of local teenagers has received the Healthy Community Initiative’s (HCI) “Making a Difference” Award for September. The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. Dale Finger has hired and trained an estimated 300 youth in the […]

A Northfield city employee who spearheaded the acquisition and installation of skateboard park equipment at Riverside Lions Park has received the Healthy Community Initiative’s “Making a Difference” Award for June 2012. The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. TJ Heinricy, Northfield’s street and park […]

A Northfield parent who’s been an integral volunteer with the Northfield Youth Choirs for more than a decade is the May 2012 recipient of the Healthy Community Initiative’s “Making a Difference” Award. The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. Mike Paulsen began assisting the […]

Rachel Matney and Fritz Bogott are the March/April 2012 recipients of the Healthy Community Initiative’s “Making a Difference” award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. After reading reports about the achievement gap in Minnesota and Northfield, Matney started thinking of local solutions.  She […]

A Northfield man who helped a group of teenagers from the Key build a canoe is the February 2012 recipient of the Healthy Community Initiative “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. John Daniels spent nine months guiding the teenagers […]

Four teenagers who organized a benefit concert for a family who lost their home in a fire are the December 2011/January 2012 recipients of the Healthy Community Initiative’s  “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. Within hours of learning of […]

Bob Gregory-Bjorklund and Ann Gregory-Bjorklund are the November recipients of the Healthy Community Initiative (HCI)  “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. The Gregory-Bjorklunds were recognized for encouraging and supporting youth through the arts.  Bob, who recently directed a cast […]

Chuck Perkins, a volunteer coach with the Northfield High School Raiders football team, is the September/October 2011 recipient of the Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. “We’ve often referred to him as our positive energy […]

Four AmeriCorps Promise Fellows who devoted the past year to serving youth in Northfield are the July/August recipients of the Healthy Community Initiative’s “Making a Difference” Award.  The award celebrates those groups and individuals in the community who have a positive influence on Northfield youth. Through a partnership with the Minnesota Alliance With Youth, the […]