Minnesota Institute of Public Health

Many years ago when Lou Holtz became head football coach at the U of Minnesota, for his brief stint pre-Notre Dame, he made the famous remark that Minnesota was a land where many people have "blonde hair and blue ears." The tongue-in-check reference to the Scandinavian heritage and cold weather both over-generalizes and over-simplifies our state in 2010, to be sure. But there is something in our community life, our priority toward improved health, service, and learning that maintain our deserved high rankings for long and happy lives.

In a recent visit to wonderful Albert Lea 90 miles straight south of the Cities on 35W, we heard a success story told about the journey Albert Lea is on in its quest to have its own community "have better appearance, better jobs, better attitude, kids to stay here and be successful ... to become healthier!".

Dan Buettner, author of the famous book "Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest," even lent his ear, interest, and resources to Albert Lea, impressed by how they approach community health and well-being.

One leader said, "The Blue Zones experience helped make the healthy choice the easy choice." Said another, "It was about making simpler, easy, mindless changes."

"Through our history here, the ‘I's' became the ‘we'," said one leader. Said another, "Money can get in the way of a true collaboration." Albert Lea has overcome obstacles, a meat packing plant shutdown losing major jobs, a plant fire, among other things.

Part of what made Albert Lea a healthier, more walkable, energetic, can-do community was its candor of its citizens with one another: a few leaders getting people to agree with what they already wanted to do ... it was about asking what THEY wanted to do.

With each initiative there was a local champion. People walked, biked, dealt with food, and with one another in a way that made many people healthier. Perhaps what is most striking is, the utter and complete modesty this Minnesota community has about how it improved its environment as a more healthy place to live.

Albert Lea, thanks for the inspiration!

- JJ