{ COACHING WITH KRISTIN }
MODEL CITIZENS: PLOGGING WITH SUE BAUER BY KRISTEN BAUER GROSS
“Oh there’s another can!” My mom reaches her grabber tool towards the empty soda can and plucks it from the side of the road and places it into a bag she’s carrying. She tells me that on her walk earlier today she found six dollars laying in the grass, just blowing in the wind. My mom is Sue Bauer and she is 72 years young. One of her very favorite activities is plogging. Plogging, in case you have not heard of it, is a Swedish eco-craze that from our perspective hasn’t really caught on in upstate NY yet. Plogging is a word that blends “picking up” with “jogging”. Although, when mom and I are plogging, we engage in more of a brisk walk. We carry two bags, one for trash and one for recyclables. Besides a lot of strange looks from people driving by in their vehicle, plogging has taught me many life lessons.
too late to try out new adventures! My first agent Ann Marie Stonecypher took note of this positioning of models and actors and within her talent agency she started a division called “Model Citizens”. The purpose of this select group of people was volunteerism and helping non-profits. Sadly my friend, long time mentor and agent Ann Marie Stonecypher passed away in 2018. I was thinking recently about her “Model Citizens” and how her mission can continue with each and every one of us
But why am I telling you about my mom and about plogging? As a model coach who writes a monthly column for “Rochester Woman” I’d like to start dedicating some articles to highlight “Model Citizens”; meaning women in my model coaching and ACTION programs who are also doing good things in the world. In American culture, models and actors are viewed as public figures. With that limelight, models and talent can use their platform to showcase the change they’d like to see in the world and be that change. When your daughter is a model coach and lifelong commercial model and talent, you are bound to get mixed up into modeling. My mom walked as a professional model in her first fashion show at age 70. It is never 266
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acting as model citizens. I am often frustrated when models, singers, actors, politicians, influencers or other public figures are not acting with integrity and sometimes reading positive uplifting stories in the media is akin to finding a purple unicorn. Wait…… is there even any other color of unicorn???!!! Plogging Life Lessons: 1.) Only 10% of Americans get at least 30 minutes of exercise on 5 or more days a week – this is a sad statistic. Making it a priority to get outside into the fresh air,
sunshine, and getting movement is such a boost to our health and immune systems. Plogging doubles in benefits because it gives each walk/jog a small accomplishment of cleaning our environment yet also the added health benefits. Besides, who doesn’t like “running” into a little free money here and there? 2.) Many recyclables in the state of New York have a 5 cent deposit. Could you use some extra cash? Have something you are saving for? A vacation? New wardrobe? Charity goal? Appreciate cleaning up your community or being environmental? Start a plogging money jar. My mom kept track of all monies she collected from recyclables plus found money (ie: find a penny pick it up and all day you’ll have good luck) for an 18 month period once and it totaled $3,000.00 which she used towards replacing her roof. All from a daily hourlong brisk walk! 3.) There is trash everywhere – Wherever you walk start to really take in the surroundings. Notice the birds, the bees, the breeze and the debris… See what I did there? I noticed that the more closely I paid attention to my surroundings, it became apparent that trash is literally everywhere and this makes me so sad and also fairly angry. My mom encourages myself and others, to really look at their community and endeavor to notice what is going on and take pride in your own community. Trash can be very detrimental to animals and nature additionally. 4.) We live in a “throw away” society, but we each get to choose how to respond. It