NORTHWEST PASSAGE ADDS SPACE FOR HEALING

We all know how important physical exercise is for us – both physically and mentally. At Passage we work to ensure our kids get ample access to physicality – from kayaking, hiking, and snowshoeing to soccer and basketball. Our kids are able to sweat out their frustrations and enjoy the fun of team sports and the satisfaction of recreation in the great outdoors. We know this helps our kids on their path to healing.

But we can’t always be outdoors in the wilds of Northwestern Wisconsin. Sometimes, we must stay indoors. From storms to frigid temps, the weather isn’t always exactly inviting ’round these parts. It is why we’ve invested in our kids and their health by building space that provides amble indoor room for kids to get active even on the worst of weather days. But we’ve grown in the past few years and we need more of this precious space to best serve our kids. We’re excited to announce that the Prairieview and Assessment programs are now going to have that same resource!

We have broken ground at the site of the future Recreation and Wellness Center at Northwest Passage’s Prairieview and Assessment programs in Frederic, Wisconsin!

Northwest Passage is adding a recreation and wellness center at its Frederic property which is home to programs providing residential mental health treatment for youth: a comprehensive assessment program serving kids aged 6-17 and Prairieview, a program for young women aged 12-17. “The Center will provide much needed indoor exercise and recreation space for our kids during the harsh winter months of northwestern Wisconsin,” says Ellen Race, Program Director. But that’s not all – while she envisions the kids utilizing the Center much like a traditional gym, they’ll also be using it to learn about health and wellness as well as utilizing the space to connect to nature through use of Passage’s environmental based educational curriculum, provided by the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, Earth Partnerships for Schools.

Race also notes that the space will, “bring many components of our programming together in one space allowing for greater connections between everything from science to physical health.” Medical Director, Dave Ammend, agrees, noting that “the Center will strengthen our healthy living programming immensely. By affording year-round access to a safe and comfortable setting for exercise, recreation, and relaxation – our kids’ access to healthy activities will double.” Ian Karl, Experiential Programming Coordinator, says of Passage, “healing happens everywhere at Passage, not just the doctor’s office or the therapist’s couch, it is so much more than that. If we can provide our kids with the tools they need to be the best versions of themselves, we’ll see greater success in their lives’ long-term. That is why having a space like the gym will prove to be so important.”

The average stay at Northwest Passage’s Frederic programs vary – residents of Prairieview stay an average of nine months, while kids at Assessment are in treatment for 30-days. Combined, the programs serve approximately 200 kids annually from across the state and nation. Northwest Passage has been providing innovative mental health services for nearly forty years, 22 of which have been at Frederic.

One resident said she can’t wait to play basketball even on rainy days, “I just feel better when I’m active, so on days we can’t be outside – it is hard to be my best self.”

Locus Architecture, of Minneapolis, is leading the design of the project. Executive Director Mark Elliott has this to say about the design, “we are excited about the versatile space Locus has designed and the unlimited benefits it will provide our kids. It is a long overdue project that will be a great resource for our staff and kids.”

The building is being constructed in conjunction with Dave Anderson Construction Company of Webster and Passage’s own in-house construction team Randy and Wes Hedrick. This project is expected to be completed in September of this year.

Northwest Passage has secured funding for the project through local lender, Frandsen Bank & Trust. Passage depends on funds from donors, grants, and service fees. Please consider making a donation and impacting the lives of our kids today.

For more information about Northwest Passage, call Marceleen Mosher at 715-309-4257 or visit us at nwpltd.org.