Healthy Community Initiative

The Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) recognized Anna Kelly with the November 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given monthly to a community member or organization who helps make Northfield an even better place for young people. Anna was singled out for her exceptional work at the Greenvale Park Elementary School and […]

The Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) recognized Dot Lauer with the October 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given monthly to a community member or organization who helps make Northfield an even better place for young people. According to friends and colleagues, Dot moved to Northfield a number of years ago […]

The Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) recognized Linda Oto with the September 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given monthly to a community member or organization who helps make Northfield an even better place for young people. Retiring this month, Oto has served as the Youth Development Coordinator for Northfield Public […]

The Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) recognized Valori Mertesdorf with the August 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given monthly to a community member or organization who helps make Northfield an even better place for young people. As the Director of Finance for Northfield Public Schools, Val has gone “above and […]

The Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) recognized Lissa Branham with the July 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given monthly to a community member or organization who helps make Northfield an even better place for young people. Lissa is the lead teacher in the Northfield Area Family YMCA’s preschool program and […]

The Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) recognized Dr. Ben Flannery with the June 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given monthly to a community member or organization who helps make Northfield an even better place for young people. Dr. Flannery is a Northfield pediatrician who thinks of children’s wellness as more […]

The Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) recognized a group of St. Olaf students known as the Science Alliance, with the May 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given out monthly to community members or organizations helping make Northfield an even better place for young people. The Science Alliance is a STEM […]

Article by Elsa Hoff, published in the Northfield News, May 1, 2019 Elsa is a member of the Healthy Community Initiative Board of Directors. When I hear someone talk about Healthy Community Initiative, I think of several different things. Sometimes I think about the Board of Directors and my experience serving with this wonderful group. […]

The Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) recently recognized Fr. Denny Dempsey, pastor at the Church of St. Dominic, with the April 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given out monthly to community members or organizations that help make Northfield an even better place for young people. Fr. Denny accepted the call […]

The Healthy Community Initiative recently recognized Jane Tapper, volunteer at Bridgewater Elementary School, with the March 2019 “Making a Difference Award.” The Making a Difference recognition is given out monthly to community members or organizations that help make Northfield an even better place for young people. Tapper volunteers at Bridgewater Elementary School, helping students who […]