Contact: Bill Spitzer

Planning & Implementation Coordinator

St. Charles Public Schools
Dover-Eyota Public Schools
E-mail: bspitzer@schs.k12.mn.us
Phone 507-421-2317

Whitewater Country Coalition

Press Release
For Immediate Release

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Keynote Speaker and Former Minnesota Viking, Keith Nord talks to St.
Charles and Dover-Eyota Students about building character.

St. Charles, MN. How do we talk with our children? What does it mean
to have good character? Those are a sample of questions that will be
answered on Tuesday when Keith Nord speaks to students of Dover-Eyota
and St. Charles. Nord will also host a leadership workshop for about 70
students in the schools student council and youth group members
Building a strong character is very important, remarked Heather Klason,
co-chair for the Whitewater Coalition. These messages will help build
community leaders. The daylong event ends with a community
presentation held at the St. Charles High School. Parents as well as
community members will gather and listen to Keith Nords message of the
important role they play in young peoples lives. Sometimes as parents we
forget about the influential role we play in our childs life commented
Karen Loechler the coalitions other co-chair.

For Release 9 a.m. CDT, Monday, April 11, 2016

more

Keith Nord
www.keithnord.com
In the summer of 1979, Keith Nord arrived at the Minnesota Vikings training camp as a
walk-on. Although less than 5% of all walk-ons ever play in the NFL, Keith made the
team and went on to become a Vikings captain in 1983.
Keith played with the Vikings for seven years and was known for his savvy and
determined, hard-hitting play. Keith earned five game balls - the highest compliment a
player can receive from his teammates.
Minnesota Viking Team Captain
1979 honors graduate of St. Cloud State University, School of Business
SCSU Football Team Captain, Team MVP, All Conference, Glen Galligan Award
Winner
March of Dimes Citizen Athlete of the Year
Muscular Dystrophy Citizen Athlete of the Year
Nominated for NFL Man of the Year
1985 Ed Block Memorial Courage Award Winner

Whitewater Country Coalition

The Whitewater Country Coalition has been developed to serve the Southeastern
Minnesota communities of Dover, Eyota, and St. Charles. The overall goal is to promote
the upbringing of healthy, caring, and responsible youth.
Additional goals of the project are to increase collaborative effectiveness though the
Coalition and using strategies to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors that

more

correlate to alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use. To achieve these goals, the Coalition will
implement multiple individual and environmental strategies.
Broadly defined, individual strategies are short-term actions focused on changing
individual behavior, while environmental strategies involve longer-term, potentially
permanent changes that have a broader reach (e.g. policies and laws that affect all
members of society). The most effective prevention plans will use both environmental and
individual substance abuse prevention strategies. The coalition is on its final year of a 5year grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Resources, Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Division.

Website: www.whitewatercoalition.org
E-mail: bspitzer@schs.k12.mn.us
###

Keith Nord Schedule

Tuesday April 12th
Photo Opportunities
9:00AM

St. Charles High School (7-12 Assembly)

10:30AM Dover-Eyota High School (7-8 Assembly)

Noon-3PM Dover-Eyota High School (Leadership Workshop DE/SC Students)
6:00PM

St. Charles High School (Community/parents Presentation)