What if improving your health could also help strengthen your neighborhood? This summer, University of Missouri Extension is inviting Missourians to participate in a statewide challenge called 100 Miles, 100 Days . The program is simple, free, flexible, and designed to help people become more active during the 100 days of summer. The challenge begins on June 16 and continues through September 24. Participants are encouraged to move in whatever way works best for them. Walking is certainly an option, but so are biking, dancing, swimming, strength training, paddling, gardening, and countless other activities that get people moving. The goal is not perfection. The goal is progress. Participants can track their activity throughout the summer, set personal goals, and even engage in friendly competition as counties across Missouri compare their collective miles and activity levels. Whether you are an experienced athlete or someone who simply wants to spend a little more time ou...

When I reflect on my childhood and youth, many special memories include friends (and neighbors) who enjoyed the experience with me. Things like riding my bike around town, spending time at the local swimming pool, exploring caves and rivers together, fishing local ponds and rivers, playing games at the house and in the yard, hauling hay, or working together on a sports team.  Sometimes, those special memories revolved around service. For example, the family that needed help with cattle, the hunt for a stray dog, or even a good friend who died too early. Time invested with people in those experiences adds up to friendships, some lasting for decades and others fading when not nurtured. The same is true for relationships with neighbors. Positive relationships need attention and take time. Neighboring is more like a crockpot than a microwave. But do not take my word for it. There is a study that backs me up! FRIENDSHIP TAKES TIME In 2018, a University of Kansas professor de...