January 2016 by Venturemeridian

001 - JANUARY 2016

Create your dream Creative Artist Kickoff With Ourr Comic Series

CHALLENGES TO ROCK THAT NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

Evolution Football Behind the academy

INTRODUCING:

MOM-TAGE RAW, UNADULTERATED, MOTHER-TALK

MERIDIAN: BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN 2015 Venture Meridian January 2016

THANK YOU

MERIDIAN

FOR A SUCCESSFUL 2015 WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING YOU IN THE NEW YEAR! COME TRY OUR AWARD WINNING FINGER STEAKS! FAMILY FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE LARGE PARTIES.

Venture Meridian January 2016

HEADSHOT Kristen Fields

Toni Osmundson - Editor-in-Chief

HELLO MERIDIAN Today marks a great day, not just for our magazine, but also for our families and this city we call home. We begin to see our dreams unfold and start to put a face on Meridian citizens and its businesses. Best of all, we are excited to see it all come together in Venture Meridian.

e started our venture not only to bring a magazine worth reading, but also to enhance our community one person at a time, one business at a time, one teacher at a time and one student at a time. Our goal, as we move forward, is to create a medium for our community to get to know one another. We get so wrapped up in our daily lives that we forget, even though we are growing in numbers, we are still one small community. Our neighborhood still relies on local business owners to bring us the things we didn’t know we needed; local teachers to teach our children the value of learning; local sports to instill the value of team work; and bring it all together in community events. Our city is great. Yes, I know you’ve heard that everywhere you go,

but something about Meridian will enchant you and beg you to stay here. I grew up here and it’s all I’ve ever known. My husband on the other hand grew up in Southern California. He took a chance on Idaho, leaving his friends and family in California. After a year of and some acclimation, he decided that the city of Meridian would be a good place to start and raise a family, and thank goodness he stayed. Fourteen years later and three adorable children later, we still call Meridian home. As a former graduate of Meridian High School, I have seen this city grow from only farmland and empty spaces to neighborhoods, high schools, middle schools, a handful of elementary schools and a wonderful park. A hospital was built on Eagle Road right off the

freeway in 2001 and businesses would soon follow. Meridian began to thrive and continued to grow since. Raising our children here, we have met many wonderful teachers, coaches, and amazing neighbors who have become our dear friends. This is the enchantment of Meridian that I am talking about. I hope to show these lasting impressions on everyone who has chosen to live here and call Meridian home. We are excited to take you on this Venture with us.

@toni_osmundson @toni_osmundson

Venture Meridian January 2016

INSPIRATION

WHAT IF...

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Maya Angelou

PHOTO Toni Osmundson *Submit your photos and quotes for the Inspiration section to toni@venturemeridian.com

Venture Meridian January 2016

LIST OF CONTENTS

MERIDIAN: BEST PLACE TO LIVE IN 2015 CONTRIBUTORS CORNER 06 08 VENTURE FAMILY INTRODUCTIONS EVOLUTION FOOTBALL ACADEMY: 12 BEHIND THE BUSINESS STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: MADDIE 16 20 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: JT MOM-TAGE: 24 29 CREATE YOUR DREAM: KICKS OFF WITH OUR COMIC SERIES STARING: CREW 30 4 CHALLENGES TO ROCK THAT NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION 36 THINGS TO COME IN VENTURE COVER PHOTO Sydney Studios & Co

MODELS Nick & Heather Rice

Venture Meridian January 2016

CONTRIBUTORS CORNER W

hen we asked around for contributors for the magazine, we were not sure what response we would receive and we were not sure anyone would be able or willing to help. The overwhelming response has taken us aback. No one said “no”. This response is a reflection of this community that drove us to create this magazine. These are exactly the people we dreamed of meeting and working with.

CONTRIBUTORS

In recognition of all of our wonderful contributors, we have a small feature and shout out we would like to give. Our contributor’s corner will recognize those amazing community members for their willingness to assist us with our venture and as well help them along their way.

We are proud to collaborate with this particular group. They have offered to contribute with our first issue because they believe in our vision. We are not only honored to have them for this magazine but also looking forward to working with this group in future issues. From the Venture Family, we thank you from the bottom of our heart.

Scotty Perkins

Scotty is a father, husband, photographer, cyclist, and philanthropist-in-training. He’s also a business process architect, operations and IT leader, and SVP of Operations and Chief Compliance Officer for a Silicon Valley startup. When he’s not being a dad or sleeping he’s probably on an airplane or on a bicycle with a camera close by.

www.scottyperkins.com

Kristen Fields

Kristen grew up photographing Boise and the surrounding Treasure Valley. She went on to study professional photography at Northwest College and Brooks Institute of Photography, and fell in love photographing and telling the stories of people while traveling the world. She came home to the Treasure Valley to open her wedding and portrait studio Bon Vivant Studios, and work with local agencies on commercial and editorial projects. Kristen’s work can be seen on theknot.com, wedding.com, mywedding.com. She is also Wedding Wire 2014 Couple’s Choice Award Recipient

www.bonvivantstudios.com/

Venture Meridian January 2016

Debbie Shaner

Debbie is a volunteer for the Rocky Mountain Football Association as the team photographer for both the Freshman and Varsity teams. Debbie’s passion for learning photography has lead her to volunteer her time for her local high school. Photography is her hobby and she loves it. You can see more of Debbie’s work at www.rockyfootball.com. Please contact Debbie at dashaner@msn.com if you would like her work and love to work with her.

Jen Alvi

Born and raised in Boise, Idaho, Jen has served 7 years in the Treasure Valley as a portrait photographer specializing in Families, Seniors, Newborns and Engagements. Jen studied as a Fine Arts major attending BSU and College of Marin in CA. Currently living in Meridian, Jen loves spending time with her husband and 4 children camping, fishing, eating food and running a small studio. Member of Professional Photographers of Idaho and America, Jen has succeeded in earning awards including, 1st Place Woman’s Portrait, Best of Show, Judge’s Choice, Electronic Imaging and others. You can find her work at www.jenalviphotography.com.

Heath Van Patten

Heath is an authorized Adventure Boot Camp instructor in Meridian and a Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Enhancement Specialist. When you work with Heath and Meridian Adventure Boot Camp, you work as a team, to overcome any obstacle that gets in your way. Heath has been in the fitness industry for 15 years, with 8 years working specifically with athletes and sports programs. He fits right in with our community and our family here at Venture Meridian. Be sure to follow Heath and Meridian Boot Camp on Twitter: www.twitter.com/idahobootcam Facebook: www.facebook.com/meridianbootcamp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ meridianbootcamp/ and visit his website: http://meridianbootcamp.com about-us-heath-van-patten/

Venture Meridian January 2016

VENTURE FAMILY S TA F F Toni Osmundson Editor-In-Chief

John Ellis Creative Director

Toni is an avid photographer and one of the cocreators of Venture Meridian. She is married with 3 children, 2 boys and a girl. With her busy schedule, you will find her attending kids sports events throughout the city. She has lived in Meridian for over 20 years. Experiencing the growth first-hand has made her passionate about the growth of our city. As a full time mother, while working and attending school, she reevaluated her priorities to focus more on projects that will improve the community where she is raising her children.

John is our creative director and one of the co-creators of Venture Meridian. He teamed up with Toni, our Editor-In-Chief, because they both saw a need to start this conversation in this city they call home. John was born and raised in Idaho. A Boise High School graduate he moved to Meridian when nothing existed except for the new Fred Meyer at Locust Grove and Fairview.

Toni runs her photography business out of her home. You can find her blog here Sydneystudiosboise.com/blog. Toni’s background is in Political Science and she is working to finish her bachelor’s degree at Boise State. She can be reached at toni@venturemeridian.com

Venture Meridian January 2016

He continues to live here with his beloved wife, Kristine, and their five boys. His hobbies include boundless reading and collecting old Mercedes Benz automobiles. He is a lover of music and plays the guitar in a broad, self-taught kind of way. Quote from John, “My personality is mercurial at times and quirky. I tend to always say what I think and tell the truth.” You can reach John at john.ellis@ venturemeridian.com

Angela Pierce Student/Sports Writer

Mikaela Rencher Writer

Angela joins our team as our sports and student writer. Her passion is football and sports in general. You will usually find her at a Boise State Football game or volunteering at the optimist fields. She also pops her head into high school sports games when she is scouting future athletes and students for our spotlight section.

Mikaela is mom to Myla and wife to Jeff. Although she resides in Twin Falls, her heart and most of her family are here in Meridian. She visits often and has so many ties within our community. That is why we chose her for our Mom-tage column. As a young mom she experiences everything a new mom goes through. Her column will not only entertain you, but give you hope that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not alone.

You can email her at angela@venturemeridian.com If you know of any athletes, students or teachers in the community who deserve the spotlight.

The Mom-tage will be featured monthly and if you have any questions you would like for her to address, please feel free to email her at mikaela@venturemeridian.com

Vol. 001, Venture is published monthly by Venture Publishing, LLC. 386 E. Producer Dr., Meridian, ID 83646. For customer service or mailing inquires please email social@venturemeridian.com. Venture considers its sources reliable and verifies as much data as possible, although reporting inaccuracies can occur; consequently, readers using this information do so at their own risk. Although persons and companies mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither Venture Publishing, LLC. nor any of its employees accept any responsibility whatsoever for their activities. Advertising Sales (208) 724-3740. Venture is printed in the USA and all rights are reserved. ÂŠ2016 by Venture Publishing, LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the publisher. All letters sent to Venture will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication, copyright purposes and use in any publication or brochure, and are subject to Ventureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unrestricted right to edit and comment.

Venture Meridian January 2016

MERIDIAN

MERIDIAN In 2015 the City of Meridian was voted by USA Today as the best city to live in.

AUTHOR Toni Osmundson

PHOTO Sydney Studio’s & Co.

Venture Meridian January 2016

As I ventured into this community it was a no brainer that I started with Meridian. It’s my home, and the city I have chosen to raise my children. Growing up my family’s home was right off of Ustick Road. At that time, this was considered the boundaries between Meridian and Eagle. Now, Meridian spans to Chinden Boulevard and beyond. This city has grown. Established in 1893 with a small population of 200, Meridian is now reaching a population of 84,000. After high school, I had dreamed of moving to a big city, San Francisco or Los Angeles, but somehow the pull and attraction of this growing city made me stay. I knew that raising a family in a big city was expensive. With Boise not too far away, I got the best of both worlds - the small town of Meridian and the big city feel of

Boise. I never imagined that this city would boom the way it did. The city has intrigued me every year. As the community grows, so do the community members. We have managed to still maintain a small town feel. It’s hard not to run into someone you do not know. The arrival of magnificent parks and the Village, together with the ambiance of the historic downtown, give us some big city amenities but also keeping us small. Our current Mayor, who just won a re-election this past November, Tammy De Weerd, has grabbed Meridian by the hand and kept the growth of this town positive. She is responsible for the implementation of beautiful parks and recreation, and the expansion of businesses. Her passion for encouraging the

youth to get involved reflects the small town quality of Meridian. This city incorporates their youth and encourages them to succeed. Programs such as the MYAC, Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Youth Advisory Council, and the Youth Farmers Market, make this place special. We are actively listening to our youth. The community provides experiences they cannot get in the classroom. Meridian was just voted by USA Today as the best city to live in. My job as Editor-In-Chief, and as a community member, is to attract people to this city. I believe this city will produce some of our countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s valuable contributors. Whether it be a world humanitarian, ambassador, or an environmentalist, the difference is made at home, and what a better home than Meridian.

BEST PLACE Follow our Venture each month with our amazing published magazine, online with our wonderful website, and on our social media platforms with Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. (@venturemeridian)

Venture Meridian January 2016

At every camp they evaluate each kid’s skill level and work on strengthening his or her weakness. Their mission is to “mentally and physically prepare each athlete for his or her next level of competition.”

Venture Meridian January 2016

The clear morning air starts to crisp and tiny droplets cling to the blades of grass. As you begin walking through the park, you see a sea of parents with their lawn chairs and kids with their football pads and helmets. It’s a Saturday in the fall. You hear the crunching of helmets, the roar of parents cheering, the coaches shouting plays, and the voice of the quarterback calling to hike the ball. It’s football season. This isn’t anything new to Matt and David, the founders of Evolution Football Academy. In fact the sounds are all too familiar. If you have been following Boise State football for a while you will recognize David Mikell. He played running back for the Boise State football team from 1999 to 2003. David received a scholarship to play for Boise State and moved here from Sacramento. While he was at Boise State as a student athlete, he saw the importance of football and developing the skills needed to play the game, and focus on developing those skills in our young kids. He spent his summers working for Bronco Elite with its summer day camps building on his passion for coaching the youth and football. As more parents approached with suggestions of specialized football coaching for our youth, he began Evolution along with fellow co-founder.

His philosophy of “making football relevant” in Meridian has motivated him and cofounder, Matt Reimer. Evolution offers affordable, accessible and age-appropriate training. They emphasize low coachathlete ratio so that your kid isn’t lost in a sea of other kids. At every camp they evaluate each kid’s skill level and work on strengthening their weaknesses and highlighting their strengths. Their mission is to “mentally and physically prepare each athlete for his or her next level of competition.” Since their first camp in 2014, they have grown to encompass not only Meridian but all of Treasure Valley. When David sees a kid with an Evolution T-shirt on, he appreciates the significance of the program and the pride the children take. Neither David nor Matt dreamed of starting their own company but capitalized on the opportunity that existed in Meridian. Their coaching staff consists of former football players who have the same passion as they do. They bring their own expertise in the positions they played in their careers. Their enthusiasm shows when they are at these camps and they are full of energy. When you are there, you can clearly see that drive these coaches have to teach.

Evolution offers scholarships for financially burdened families and their young athletes. They do not want a kid turned away due to all the financial constraints we, as parents, face. Their goal is that every kid should have the opportunity to participate and gain that edge based on their passion to learn the game they love. David remembers the importance of having mentors when he was growing up and learning the game. He states, “I looked up to those older guys and saw how important they were to my career.” He wants every kid to have that mentor and that opportunity regardless of their ability to pay. He wants the kids to feel that same love and passion as he did as a kid.

Venture Meridian January 2016

BUSINESS Matt began his career coaching his son when he was 7 years old starting with flag and then onto tackle. He has loved every minute of it. Football season is intense even at this level. Coaches spend countless hours reviewing plays, strategies and even game footage. Anything that will get his team that edge to stretch that extra yard, to push for that goal line and to stop the other team in their tracks. Matt and David saw a need to teach these kids not only how to play but lessons that will stay with them throughout their careers. With these camps they strive to teach fundamentals and also gain these “shortcuts” to help the kids be successful. There’s more to just being physically fit, but knowing how to play the game will give these kids that extra foot ahead of everyone else.

AUTHOR Toni Osmundson

David and his wife Carrie raise their two daughters, Mia and Skylynn, in Meridian. Matt and Deena also raise their two boys, Kaden and Brenden, in Meridian. Both families choose to live in meridian due to their love for this community. Our city is lucky to be the host of this football academy. Matt and David’s mission to offer this service for our kids and their passion for football, has come at a great time. We are ecstatic to see where their Venture will take them.

You can learn more about them on their website www.evolutionbouse.com and be sure to follow them on social media: www.facebook.com/ evolutionfootballacademy www.twitter.com/ evolutionboise

PHOTO Sydney Studio’s & Co.

Venture Meridian January 2016

AT H L E T E S P O T L I G H T STUDENT SPOTLIGHT No one needs to set high expectations for Maddi, because she sets them herself.

Venture Meridian January 2016

AUTHOR PHOTO Angela Pierce Jen Alvi & Scotty Perkins

MADDI F

amily. Friends. Church. School. Volleyball. It is amazing what a high school student can balance. Maddi, a sophomore at Rocky Mountain High School finds ways to successfully manage her time with all of the above. When asked how she balances her time among all of her activities, she made it sound easy, “I wake up, go to school, go to practice, hang out with my family, do homework and on the weekends settle down and go to church.”

Maddi comes from a tight knit family, so making sure that there is always time to catch up over dinner or on the weekends is important. While family comes first, Maddi is surrounded by a great group of friends on and off the volleyball court. She is well respected and liked by her peers and is considered the “mother figure” of her social group. While Maddi is part of the

Meridian community, she is also active in a couple sub communities in Meridian. She attends Rock Harbor Church on the weekends with her family and there she serves in the church’s youth ministry. She is active in a non-denominational group for teens, called “Young Life”. Young Life consists of high school aged teenagers with common interests that come together for social events and activities. Maddi best describes Young Life as “a place to hang out with young people in a safe place.” No one needs to set high expectations for Maddi, because she sets them herself. She is a straight ‘A’ student and makes school work a daily priority. Her favorite subjects in school are Science and History. “Science is hard, but it keeps me interested and History just fascinates me”, stated Maddi. If Maddi

Venture Meridian January 2016

could interview one historical figure, she would interview Jackie Robinson. Volleyball is another part of Maddi’s life that she has learned to balance into her busy schedule. Maddi describes her family as, “pretty athletic and sports has always been encouraged.” She started playing volleyball in elementary school and has been working on her game over the years. This year, as a sophomore, Maddi made the Varsity team. When asked what she likes most about the sport, she replied, “How fast it is...it is go, go, go.” Looking ahead to plans for her future, Maddi sees herself going to college. While going to college on a volleyball scholarship would be an opportunity she could not refuse, Maddi would like to attend the University of Oregon, a small Christian college or West Point, because she has always loved the

Venture Meridian January 2016

Army. Although she accepts that her mind could change before she finishes high school, her high

DETERMINED expectations for herself will not change. Two words that Maddi used to describe herself are, “hardworking and determined”, with that being said, she will succeed at whatever she pursues.

RULE

1 THE VENTURE STARTS WITH YOU Venture Meridian January 2016

He strives to be the best version of himself and to set an example for those who might be watching. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Respect is the number one thing to remember in the Polynesian culture...Another important thing is to show manners.â&#x20AC;?

AUTHOR Angela Pierce

Venture Meridian January 2016

PHOTO Debbie Shaner

ocky Mountain High School sophomore, JT, had no hesitation when asked what he thought was key to his personal success. He simply responded with, “Be humble and show respect.” JT accredits his family and his culture for teaching him these values. JT describes being humble as a way of staying grounded in all aspects of his life and showing respect as a tribute to those who are important to him. His response when asked what he wants his community to know about him, “Someone who can help out, a good teammate and someone who is humble.” Not only is JT a student in a high school with more than 2,000 in attendance, he is also a grandson, son, older brother, friend, and teammate. He strives to be the best version of himself and to set an example for those who might be watching. JT shared that being a part of the Polynesian culture has had a tremendous influence on his life. He said, “Respect is the number one thing to remember in the Polynesian culture...Another important thing is to show manners.” If there is one person in JT’s life who has influenced him the most to stay true to his culture, it is his grandfather. He wants to make his family proud, which is why JT always has them in mind when making decisions. It is important to him not to draw negative attention to his family name or his culture. At a young age, JT started playing what is now his favorite sport, football. He has been playing football for the past nine years and plans to play for years to come. JT plays corner and safety on Rocky Mountain High School’s Varsity football team. “I bring energy and enthusiasm, to get the team pumped up,” said JT, when asked what he brings to the football team.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Venture Meridian January 2016

Although JT was excited to make the Varsity team this year, he knew that boasting was not acceptable, but working and playing harder than he did before would be key. JT’s father, a former Boise State Bronco football player, is his inspiration. Football runs deep in his family. He has family that plays at all levels of the sport. He too, is aspiring to play at the college level. JT would like the opportunity to play for his father’s alma mater and become a Boise State Bronco. “I want to carry on the tradition, my dad went there and I want to go there too. I want to set an example

in the community and to the Polynesian kids out there and give them someone to look up to,” said JT.

HUMBLE JT understands the importance of education and good grades. “No play, no grades” is the quote that stands out most to him. JT plans on studying communication and journalism when he goes to college and as much as he would like an opportunity to play professional football, he would also enjoy being a sports commentator or meteorologist. Whatever career JT pursues, there is no doubt he will give it his all. There are three words JT used to describe himself: funny, outgoing, and humble. He wants people to know that under all the football gear he is a humble, respectful teenager who will continue to make his family, culture and the Meridian community proud.

SHARE YOUR VENTURES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

WHAT'S YOUR VENTURE? #VENTUREMERIDIAN

Venture Meridian January 2016

RULE

2 PRACTICE DOES MAKE PERFECT

Venture Meridian January 2016

MOM-TAGE M O M -TAG E AUTHOR Mikaela Rencher

PHOTO Liz Stephens

I had envisioned this day my whole life. From my carefree days of a 12-year-old girl, I had pictured the day I would become a mom.

Venture Meridian January 2016

Motherhood. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the most beautiful words in the English language. Beautiful because of its potential. Beautiful because of its importance. Beautiful because of its ability to break us down, tear us apart, and somehow simultaneously build us up, and

change us into someone new, someone stronger. Beautiful because it can bring us some of the most immense joy, and heartache, of our lives. Beautiful because, regardless of our preconceived notions or expectations, being a mother is nothing you could ever imagine or prepare for. Beautiful, because of the journey we each take in becoming a mother. Regardless of when, or how, it happens, each of us is different after having given birth to our child. What’s So Hard About Being Perfect? I had envisioned this day my whole life. From my carefree days of a 12-year-old girl, I had pictured the day I would become a mom. I would be given this beautiful bundle, swaddling my first-born child, with whom I would share an instant and permanent bond. Everything would be certain. Everything about motherhood would be perfect. I’m talking Hallmark movie content, down to the last glamorous and flattering detail. After all, isn’t motherhood the most natural instinct a woman has? My descent into motherhood more accurately resembled a newborn calf taking its first wobbly steps down a flight of stairs, hitting every stair on the way down. Breastfeedingsplat! Sleep training- smack! Swaddling- whammo. Cleaningwhack. Health- nope. And my

body- oh, my body. It appeared to me that my skin, from my neck to my knee caps, was now dripping off my body like melted candle wax. Not to mention I was leaking from any perceptible orifice. Double whammo. Being a mother seemed, in every essence of the word, a disaster. How did people do it? Why was I struggling so horribly? I was convinced that I was the first mother in the history of all motherhood to fall completely flat on my face. With each blow, each perceived “failure”, my confidence (as well as my grasp on reality) sank further and further away from reach. Nothing seemed certain, and everything seemed far from perfect. Why wasn’t I getting it? Why wasn’t motherhood the dream job I had always imagined? I was fighting so hard to be some “ideal” mother. But when I attempted to write down my goals and dreams, I began to ask myself a question: “What is an “ideal” mother anyway?” I realized that every mother is different! To one mom, impeccable organization is her ideal. To another, a successful career. To another, a perfectly healthy lifestyle. I looked around and falsely assumed that every mom had mastered their ideals (along with everyone else’s), and I made that the bar I used in which to determine my success. Each day, I tried to reach these absurd heights, which only brought feelings of insecurity,

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failure, depression and frustration. Once again, I felt unfulfilled in my journey through motherhood. Thankfully, with time, patience, persistence, and a lot of support from my husband, family and friends, I gained back my footing, and learned some valuable lessons in Mom-hood. I sat myself down and figured out what was most important to me and made those my priorities. With everything else, I just tried my best. I stopped my quest for perfection. Perfect, gross. Not only is perfection totally boring, it’s also (what’s the word again...)

Venture Meridian January 2016

oh yeah- it’s IMPOSSIBLE! And you know what happened? Suddenly, I was happy. I was fulfilled. I was confident and secure with myself. The goals that I innately felt were most important for my family were being met. My relationships with my husband and child were significantly improved. All around, good things happened. I started to see motherhood for what it truly was: a gift. My dream for this column, and what I would hope to bring to the table and to the reader, is a source of raw, unadulterated

motherhood talk- how to deal with all of the “curve balls” (read: WTF?? moments) that are thrown at us as mothers and parents, and still maintain that bigger picture, and that realistic perspective. And hopefully find some nuggets of wisdom (and a few good laughs) along the way. Email with any questions at mikaela@venturemeridian. com

RULE

3 PASSION IS EVERYTHING

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Photographers Series

Comic strip series Writer/Author Series

*Photographers: Please send a series of 6 photos of your work. They need to be high resolution and 300dpi **Grand Prize will be announced at a later date

Venture Meridian January 2016

COMIC SERIES

C R E AT E Y O U R D R E A M

This month comic series comes from Crew. He shares his winter comic with us. Crew is a junior at Boise High. We love his artistic work. Crew also plays lacrosse. Follow Crew on his instagram @crew_ hamlin

ur mission for our comic strip series is to empower and encourage students to show their creative talents. We will host a comic artist every month and at the end of the year, each comic will be voted on for a grand prize. (We will announce the prize in a later issue.) if you are a high school student in the Treasure Valley and have a passion for drawing comics, send your submissions toni@venturemeridian.com

*Submissions need to be high resolution at least 300dpi

Venture Meridian January 2016

Rock That New Year’s Resolution

Venture Meridian January 2016

NEW YEAR’S 2016

4 Challenges to

Happy New Year 2016! What happened over the past 51 weeks? 2015 was supposed to “be the year to get back into shape and lose weight.” You hear this all too often, “January 1st, the day I will start my new exercise, weight loss and diet plan”. What is the first thing you think of? Yes, that is right, it won’t last. The most important question to ask yourself is why. What if you could make it last longer than the traditional 4-6 weeks? I am here to share some ideas and concepts that have worked for many athletes. There are many reasons to get back to the gym. You gained more weight during the past six weeks than you did in the first 46 weeks of the year. They were full of parties, holiday treats, cocktails, sweets, and food that stayed with you for many days. If you are like some then the past two months

of the year have consisted of eating, sitting, drinking, and not exercising. You have goals, desires, and reasons to make a choice to start on January 1st. What is your burning desire and your deepest why?

AUTHOR Heath Van Patten

PHOTO Sydney Studios & Co.

This year I want to challenge you to get back to the gym and stay there. With these four fitness facts, your exercise program will be set and you will be ready to get the results that you truly are destined to have. By now, I am sure you have multi tasked and grabbed your calendar already while reading this article. You are on your way. CHALLENGE ONE I recommend is to analyze your day and make time. Think about it, if the CEO at the company you work for scheduled a meeting with you at 8am on Monday morning, would you not show up, be late, or worst of all, not

With these four fitness facts, your exercise program will be set and you will be ready to get results that you truly are destined to have.

Venture Meridian January 2016

RETRAIN YOUR BRAIN. STOP THINKING NEGATIVELY.

NEW YEAR’S 2016

give your best? Schedule your “business meeting with your CEO” into your jam-packed day. Treat yourself the way that you should be treated. Making time doesn’t mean to just find time. Our lives are hectic and extremely busy with meetings, appointments, practices, games, traveling, vacations and work. Life happens everyday! So stop procrastinating. As the famous quote reads, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” CHALLENGE TWO I have for you is Keep it simple and break up your why. For example, “I want to lose 50 pounds this year.” I challenge you to get rid of your New YEARS Resolutions and focus on a New Day Resolution to start. Celebrate each success every day. If your day gets away from you for some reason, start over the next day. After you accomplish this first day goal, then you can repeat it for a

Venture Meridian January 2016

couple weeks. You will then set a New Week Resolution the third and fourth week. Do not forget to celebrate your victories each week. By the way, celebrations do not consist of cake and ice cream! I am referring to celebrate as in positive selftalk, positive affirmations and sharing with a loved one of your accomplishment for the day or week. It is important to focus on the positive things that happen to you. Stay focused and remember that nobody is perfect. Be consistent and persistent with your actions to overcome any mistake or tough time on your journey. You have heard all of the excuses right? It’s too cold, too early, too hard, my kids are sick, my dogs is sick, my garage won’t open, my alarm didn’t go off (no you turned it off-guilty!), too tired and on and on. Break up your year into micro goals and start with the daily goals. After January, you will gain steam and

get results, and then you will move to monthly resolutions. You will set a new goal within the month to challenge you. If you happen to falter and fall off the “game plan” for whatever reason, do not stress over it, just simply start back at the beginning. CHALLENGE THREE Is accountability. It is imperative to find a coach, a team, or a person that will help you stay focused during this time. Perhaps it is your neighbor, wife/husband, friend, co-worker or another family member. Imagine having someone who has the same goals to help each other during the tough times. The difference between those who are healthier and leaner is they fight through the tough time times and do the things that need to get done. Every body is different and must be treated as such. CHALLENGE FOUR Is to retrain your brain. Stop thinking negatively. One of the best thing to do for your brain, body, and overall health is to get your workout completed first thing in the morning. Whatever discipline or workout program you do, I guarantee you will feel energized, refreshed, positive and alive by choosing to exercise first thing in the morning. If the past years of being a night owl have not worked then try something different. Sometimes changing the time is all you need to stay on task. I know you can do it! Plan your day in advance, set your opportunity clock and make the choice to get on your feet, out the door, and begin exercising. If you still can’t seem to get things together, talk to a professional (Like myself)”. I am confident that you will feel AMAZING! Exercise is the least expensive form of health insurance. I challenge each of you reading this article to share it with at least two others. Do you think we can positively make a change to thousands of people in Meridian? The city of Meridian is number one in many categories and is getting national exposure. Stand by me to make it the healthiest city in the country. We will challenge other cities to follow our lead by challenging our great citizens one day, one week and one month at a time! After completing these challenges post your photos on social media and use the Hashtag #venturefitnesschallenge and

Venture Meridian January 2016

Motivational

Carrie Purchase Carrie is passionate about staying fit. She was gracious to pose for this issue’s article, Four Challenges to Rock That New Year’s Resolution We asked Carrie a few questions on how she stays fit and healthy.

Where are you from? I was born in Pullman, WA, but grew up in Boise. I currently live in Meridian. My family is amazing, they are my best friends and are my support system.

What are your hobbies and sports you participate in? My number one passion is weight lifting, and more recently, Crossfit. There is nothing that compares to not only being able to lift heavy, but just being strong. I also play soccer and swim for my cardio.

Venture Meridian January 2016

What is your Favorite exercise at the gym and why? I’d have to go with Lunges, they work so many different muscles and help defy gravity ;)

How do you stay hydrated? I have a cute 24 oz mug that I keep with me and I try to drink a few of those each day.

What is your motivation to stay fit? To me it goes beyond a fit physique. I want to be an

inspiration to people, especially my family and friends. I always want to be able to do activities, whether it’s sports, hiking, or playing with my niece.

What is your secret to staying focused at the gym? This has always come easy for me, I am pretty intense when I work out. Whether I am going to Crossfit or doing my own workout, I always have my workouts planned out for the day. I am a firm believer in failure to prepare is preparing to fail.

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Venture Meridian January 2016

WHAT IS NEXT

We are only getting started. Venture has been created to show the world what Meridian is all about. We started this business to enhance the lives of our community.

W H AT I S N E X T ? 38

We will show lasting impressions one person at a time. We imagined venture to be more than just a magazine. We wanted a place to showcase our magnificent citizens, our amazingly talented high school students, our fierce teachers and our courageous entrepreneurs.

Venture Meridian January 2016

PHOTO Sydney Studios & Co.

We will start a conversation in Meridian, about the business, the people and the good eats. Our goal for our magazine is to connect people to these places and the neighbors that live next to us.

Our Events have been the heart of this community. We want to ensure you do not miss a thing. We will list what events are going on. Along with our social media, we will keep you up to date.

Our Business Section will showcase locally owned entrepreneurs. We will take you behind the scenes to what drives them to create what they do best.

Our Student Spotlight we strive to inspire, empower and encourage our youth. Our students are our future. Lets invest our time to get to know them and what goals they have. Along with students, we also have opened up submissions for author or writers, photographers and comic artist. This is open to all students in the Treasure Valley.

Our Good Eats Section will showcase the best places to eat. Not only that, we want to showcase your recipes. We want to know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history and why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a staple for your family.

Our Community Member Section will feature an outstanding citizen that has gone above and beyond for their community. These are the heart of Meridian and we want to give them the recognition they deserve. We appreciate everyone who has supported us along this journey. We invite you to Venture with us.

Venture Meridian January 2016