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Meet Your Neighbor: Annie Lindsay
By Callie Thomas
It’s been a month since you made your New Year’s resolution to finally get down to that dress or pant size you’ve always dreamed about. Fitness experts say that you should focus on your goal and “visualize” what you want to achieve. But one expert, 89123 resident and exercise psychologist Annie Lindsay, advises it’s not the result you should concentrate on but the changes in behavior you need to reach your goals.
Through the University of Nevada-Reno Cooperative Extension, which puts university research into action in our homes, workplaces and community, Annie Lindsay helps many in Southern Nevada stay health conscious. Her work involves developing education and applied research programs in physical activity and exercise science to curb obesity and other health related issues. With a focus on youth and hard-to-reach adults, she targets childhood obesity prevention in preschool-aged children, residents in rural areas and young women and mothers who are in substance abuse treatment and correctional programs. For the past 30 years, she’s published research and educational material to promote jobsite health and has worked with firefighters, security forces, prisons, mental health agencies and court-ordered drug treatment facilities.
Lindsay practices what she preaches and stays active by competing in surfing, wakeboarding, triathlons and soccer matches. She also makes time to assist local charitable organizations, and there are two that she is especially passionate about: ChickBand Ministries, Inc. (for which she serves as president) and the Alzheimer’s Association. Annie gave us a few insights on these special organizations that help make her heart healthy.
What is ChickBand Ministries and how did it get started?
“It’s a faith-based, non-profit group that provides musical entertainment and outreach efforts to inspire and encourage women in need. The band is made up of all female musicians and ministers to women suffering from abuse and addiction to help them bring restoration back to their lives.”
As a band member, do you sing or play an instrument?
“I love writing music and I play guitar in the band.”
What do you enjoy most about being in ChickBand?
“Offering a welcome distraction to incarcerated moms on Mother’s Day, who recognize their shortcomings and failures while hoping to hear ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ when making that collect call home. Or drinking hot cider and singing Christmas carols while taking first family portraits with moms living in treatment centers with their children.”
Have you ever recorded any of your performances?
“I’ve written and recorded two albums with the ChickBand which are on iTunes as well as the All 4 Kids© CD/DVD.”
It must be exciting to see the impact of your efforts on so many people.
“I think when you combine mercy and compassion with tenacity and perseverance, you get success.”
You’ve also persevered in helping to promote brain health for the Alzheimer’s Association. It’s a very personal experience for you. Would you share?
“My father was a brilliant Air Force officer who built rockets to put America into space and directed more than a dozen Space Shuttle missions. Today, the only thing he can recall about the military is that his father served in World War I. He doesn’t know he was in uniform for 34 years, that his son is an officer, that he’s still married to his high school sweetheart of 54 years and he doesn’t know my name. Every day is one more new challenge and one more long goodbye.”
You continue to help others in so many ways. What accomplishments are you most proud of?
“I would say the data I collected for publication of the national YMCA Adult Fitness Standards; the University of Nevada’s All 4 Kids© evidence-based, preschool healthy lifestyle program that I co-authored; my published research and Healthy Steps to Freedom, which promotes the importance of body image and health education for women in substance abuse programs.”
If you weren’t in your present career, what other job would you like to do?
“Go on tour with Keith Urban, play guitar and sing back up!”
