UMN Center for Safe and Healthy Children Receives $2.5 Million Grant

Brian Lipschultz serves as co-CEO and trustee of the Otto Bremer Trust, one of the nation’s largest charitable trusts. Under Brian Lipschultz's leadership, the Otto Bremer Trust has supported a broad variety of community efforts and nonprofit programs. Grants awarded during the 2016 period included a $2.5 million gift to the Center for Safe and Healthy Children at University of Minnesota (UMN) Masonic Children’s Hospital. 

Awarded monies will expand UMN’s child abuse treatment program in several ways and contribute to the center’s goal of becoming a national leader in combating child abuse and neglect. Funds will go toward hiring additional staff, increasing efforts for community education, and opening new roads to train child abuse specialists. A portion of the grant funded the creation of a fellowship program designed to train more child abuse pediatricians.

The Center for Safe and Healthy Children opened in 2014, becoming the first regional program to focus on providing comprehensive care to children who have been abused and neglected. Its specialized training equips physicians and medical staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to work with victims of abuse and neglect, who often require specialized treatment. Necessary training goes beyond an understanding of child development; physicians must also receive training in treating child injuries, child psychology, and how to recognize signs of abuse and neglect to prevent misdiagnosis.

Three Safety Tips for Wakesurfers

As a co-CEO and trustee of the Otto Bremer Trust, Brian Lipschultz is responsible for managing the $900 million fund and responding to the needs of communities through grants and program-related investments throughout the region. When he is not tending to his philanthropic duties with the Otto Bremer Trust or his other business pursuits, Brian Lipschultz enjoys getting out on the lake for wakeboarding and wakesurfing. 

Wakesurfing is a new take on wakeboarding in which surfers are propelled directly by a boat's wake rather than being continuously towed by a cable. The sport is challenging, and can be dangerous if certain precautions are not taken. Consider the following safety tips before your next wakesurfing adventure: 

1. Never surf behind anything but an inboard boat. The prop of an inboard boat is far enough in front of the rudder to prevent accidental contact after a fall. 

2. Ensure that the boat is weighted appropriately. It takes about 1,800 pounds more than the stock ballast weight to produce a sufficiently sizable wake. If the wake is too small, it will be difficult to stay on top of it, which can be dangerous.

3. Use a rope specifically designed for wakesurfing to help you get up. Other ropes, such as wakeboarding ropes, are thin and can cause rope burns and other safety problems.