The Sconi

Aspirus Health has expanded its partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County to promote youth health and wellness through several programs in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The collaboration, which involves Aspirus’s Community Health Improvement Program and staff from Aspirus Outpatient Therapies - Stevens Point, supports initiatives aimed at improving both physical and emotional well-being among local children.

This summer, Aspirus provided funding for two main programs: Summer Meals and Social and Emotional Development. The Summer Meal Program distributed more than 22,000 free breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to children aged 18 and under. This effort helped address food insecurity among nearly half of the Club’s members who qualify for free or reduced-price meals during the school year.

The Social and Emotional Development Programming reached over 1,000 young people with activities designed to enhance self-awareness, emotional regulation, and healthy decision-making. Some participants also received additional support through one-on-one or small group sessions as part of the Great Futures! initiative.

Aspirus Outpatient Therapies played a significant role in summer activities at the Club’s Berard Center by leading weekly fitness sessions that encouraged physical activity for children of all abilities. This partnership began in 2024 as a joint effort between Aspirus, the Boys & Girls Club of Portage County, and Wonderful Water Run.

In September, attention shifts toward preparing club members for the Wonderful Water Run Kids’ Race on September 26. Volunteers from Wonderful Water Run will assist with training while Aspirus sponsors discounted race registration fees for club participants.

Andrew Wilke, Supervisor of Therapy Services at Aspirus Stevens Point said: “This collaboration demonstrates Aspirus’s proactive approach to building healthier communities beyond the hospital walls. By supporting physical activity in youth, we’re emphasizing prevention, healthy habits, and wellness, not just treatment after illness. It’s also been incredibly rewarding to see the joy our therapists experience while engaging with the kids each week.”

Aspirus is also a corporate sponsor of Field Day held every August by the Boys & Girls Club. The event brings together more than 300 youths from across Portage County for a day focused on friendly competition.

These efforts are part of Aspirus’s broader mission to improve community health outcomes by reducing risks linked to inactivity and chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease across its service areas in northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin as well as Michigan's Upper Peninsula. More information about their work can be found at aspirus.org.