McKenzie Health System has launched its 2026 Healthy Living Together series with an event focused on budgeting and debt reduction strategies.
The first session takes place Jan. 21 and features Aileen Simons, director of member advocacy at Team One Credit Union and a certified credit union financial counselor. Simons will present “Budgeting & Debt Reduction Strategies,” offering practical tools and insights, according to a community announcement.
Aileen Simons
The Healthy Living Together series offers free, monthly educational sessions aimed at supporting the health and wellness of individuals and families in Sanilac County and beyond. Each session is held in person from noon to 1 p.m. in the McKenzie Health System Dining Room, 120 Delaware St., Sandusky, with a virtual option available.
The series covers a wide range of topics, from financial literacy and health to cooking and digital safety. The sessions are open to the public and free to attend.
Below is the full 2026 schedule:
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Jan. 21: Budgeting & Debt Reduction Strategies
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Feb. 18: Menopause Matters: Thriving Through the Change
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March 18: Bread Making — Sourdough
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April 15: Talking is Teaching
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May 20: Fairy Garden Workshop
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June 17: Cooking with Kids
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July 15: Preserving MI Harvest: Preserving Summer Fruit
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Aug. 19: Digital Safety for Seniors — Avoiding Scams
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Sept. 16: Stop the Bleed, Hands Only CPR, & Home Firearm Safety
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Oct. 21: Aging Well — Staying Connected & Resilient
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Nov. 18: Estate Planning Basics
The series is part of a collaborative project developed by McKenzie Health System in partnership with the Sanilac County Health Department, MSU Extension, Great Start Collaborative Sanilac and Sanilac County Community Mental Health. The goal is to provide valuable resources and knowledge that promote the well-being of the community.
February session to focus on menopause
The next session, scheduled for Feb. 18, will be “Menopause Matters: Thriving Through the Change.” Trisha Ameel, MSN, RN, FNP-C, from McKenzie Health System, will lead the discussion.
Future sessions will cover a variety of topics, including bread making, digital safety for seniors and estate planning basics.
In March, Mary Gilbert, a community member, will demonstrate how to make sourdough bread. In April, Julia Albrecht, director of the Great Start Collaborative, will discuss the importance of early childhood communication in a session titled “Talking is Teaching.”
May will feature a fairy garden workshop led by Jen Gezequel, a community member and fairy garden expert. In June, Chef Aaron Puzan from Autumnwood of Deckerville will host a session on cooking with kids.
July’s session will focus on preserving summer fruit, led by Laurie Messing, a food safety educator from MSU Extension. In August, a panel from Thumb Bank & Trust will discuss digital safety for seniors and how to avoid scams.
September’s session will cover emergency response skills, including Stop the Bleed, hands-only CPR and home firearm safety. The session will feature Morgan Fraley, BSN, RN, a Stop the Bleed specialist; Melissa Govea, an American Heart Association CPR instructor; and Steve McKenney, Sandusky chief of police.
October will focus on aging well and staying connected, with Kelli Braun from Stonegate Village Assisted Living leading the discussion. The final session in November will cover estate planning basics, including wills, power of attorney, trusts and more, presented by Michael Rolando, an attorney at Biddinger, Schrot & Rolando, PC.
Sessions are free and open to the public
All sessions are free and open to the public, with both in-person and virtual options available. For more information, visit www.McKenzieHealth.org/Healthy-Living or call 810-648-6127.
The Healthy Living Together series is designed to provide practical tools and knowledge that support the health and wellness of individuals and families in Sanilac County. By offering a diverse range of topics, the series aims to address the various needs and interests of the community.
This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at https://cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct/.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Healthy Living Together series begins with debt reduction tips
