MANSFIELD — Kristi Berg wants to take the Mansfield community with her on her journey to “lead a healthier life.”
The Richland County native started publishing a newsletter called “The Wellness Paper” with her friend Brandie Johnson in April. Berg is studying life and wellness coaching online at Maharishi International University.
Berg, 34, is a mom of two who is also working on writing a book of poetry. The newsletter started in one of her online classes.
“I enrolled in a writing course and basically wrote the first issue of The Wellness Paper there,” she said. “I went over it with (Johnson), she printed a bunch out and the J&J customers loved it.”
Johnson, 29, has worked at J&J Food Mart on Marion Avenue for four years. The convenience store is the first business to pass out printed copies of the newsletter. She said The Wellness Paper aims to increase wellness education for people who might not have access to it.
“I think a lot of people want this information, they just don’t know where to find it,” Johnson said.
“Or if they’ve seen something previously about the same topics, they could brush it off. When it’s coming from a face-to-face conversation in the convenience store from someone you know, I think people appreciate that more.”
Issues of The Wellness Paper so far have covered topics including sleep hygiene, music, healthy eating and local gun violence.
The newsletter often takes an informal tone, buoyed by formal statistics and facts. In its post on “Violence in Mansfield, OH,” Berg pointed to the FBI’s D- CrimeGrade and other national outlets that have pointed to the dangers of violence in the streets.
“I likely do not need to belabor this point with more statistics and facts for us all to agree on the current situation; Mansfield is struggling with an epidemic of violence. This raises important questions: Why? and What can we do to stop the spread?,” Berg wrote.
Berg said she and Johnson get together regularly to discuss what topics they hear other community members discussing.
“There’s not necessarily a specific focus, we just keep our ears open for what people are struggling with,” Berg said.
“Some areas of our community aren’t being reached because they’re not seeking out help. They’re not in the therapy offices, but they might be in J&Js or online or wherever.”
Berg said she researches whatever topic she is hoping to write about and condenses the information into a newsletter format.
“The last volume we put out about gun violence probably took around 12 hours of research,” she said. “But I love reading scientific magazines and journals, so that’s right up my alley.”
Where to find The Wellness Paper
Each newsletter includes a recap of the last newsletter, bios of the authors and tips for additional resources.
“Having copies available at the convenience store counter has been really cool to see because I can have a conversation with them in the moment,” Johnson said.
“With the first issue, someone gave me $20 and I said, ‘No, this is free,’ but he wanted us to keep it and put it toward printing more copies.”
Johnson said some therapists and OhioHeath nurses have printed their own copies of issues that they thought could help their patients.
Berg also stops into other businesses that have printed copies to see which issues are the most popular.
“I stopped into Fresh Grounds recently and all the copies on music were gone, so I thought, ‘OK, that’s what these customers are interested in,’” she said. “I’m also more than willing to research any topics people suggest.
“If I have a conversation with you and you go talk to someone else who talks to someone else, that’s how real change comes. That’s another free way of helping the community by just getting the conversation started.”
The Wellness Paper partners with 3rd Cup Tea, Fresh Grounds Coffee House, Sacred Crown Tattoo Company and J&J Food Mart to have printed copies of new issues available.
Berg and Johnson also moderate a Facebook group, “The WELLNESS paper,” which has about 100 members. The pair posts motivation, community updates and links to the newsletter issues on Medium, the bulletin’s digital version.
So far, there have been four issues of the newsletter. Berg said she aims to put out new issues every few weeks. She also welcomes any suggestions for topics at thewellnesspaper@proton.me.
