Take a Field Trip

I credit my parents and the Des Moines public schools for instilling in me a love for learning.

Many of my childhood memories faded along with my lip color, but I do recall grade school field trips in the 1970s as peak learning experiences. Over a span of years, we toured the Des Moines Art and Science Centers, the Iowa State Capitol, Salisbury House and other historic sites in the metro area.

All of these were enriching, educational and formative experiences, but none were as memorable to me as an afternoon spent with my Bluebird Troop at a live viewing of The Floppy Show in the WHO-TV Studio. If you grew up in that era in the WHO broadcast area, you may recall watching this children’s TV program with host and ventriloquist Duane Ellet and his beagle puppet, Floppy.

As television shows go, The Floppy Show was not “must see TV” for me. In fact, it wasn’t the show, but the studio that captured my interest that day. My senses couldn’t take in the environment fast enough. Even though I had yet to experience a double-digit birthday, the time spent observing the show’s production may have been the catalyst for both a degree in broadcast journalism and a brief career stint in public television.

That’s the beauty of a field trip -- going to where the work is done, seeing and hearing the passion of those who are immersed in it, and knowing that your life has been changed by being present.

Over the next few months, I will be taking field trips to the organizations receiving Better Health Foundation grants and sharing my experiences with you. These learning visits will inform our Foundation’s future grantmaking and deepen our understanding of the nonprofit agencies working to improve our health and well-being.

I am excited to take you along for the ride, but don’t wait for me. I encourage you to venture out on field trips of your own to those nonprofit organizations that spark your curiosity, meet your family’s needs, and receive your support. You won’t be able to contain your excitement, and you – and our community – will be better for the experience.