Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
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Healthy Brandon chair Vanessa Hamilton (third from right) presents a cheque to Cora Lee Baker, Community Development Co-ordinator with the City of Brandon, for the new South End Youth Activity Centre. Also in the picture are the Youth Activity Centre co-ordinators.
Healthy Brandon is a non-profit, community coalition made up of numerous partners with the goal of working together with individuals, organizations and businesses to build a healthier Brandon.
Brian Fowell, Hummingbird Garden co-ordinator, prepares fresh vegetables for the Stone Soup Supper for community garden gardeners in the fall of 2011. (SUBMITTED)
Sandra Carballo, Settlement Program Co-ordinator at Westman Immigrant Services receives a cheque for $900 from Healthy Brandon chair Vanessa Hamilton. The funds will be used in a series of cooking classes for newcomers, organized by Daniel Tien, Youth Facilitator at WIS. The classes will target young new immigrants, aged 13-15, teaching them how to choose and prepare healthy food for themselves in Canada. Pictured are (L-R): Daniel Tien, Sandra Carballo, Vanessa Hamilton, and Healthy Brandon members Melanie Hellyer and Naty Delbridge. (SUBMITTED)
Healthy Brandon made a contribution in the amount of $4,000 to support the Global Market at the corner of 12th Street and Rosser Avenue. Healthy Brandon feels the market will be a focal point for people to come together, thus will promote social inclusion and mental wellbeing, promote physical activity, celebrate our cultural diversity and promote healthy eating with the availability of fresh produce and products. Pictured are (L-R): Vanessa Hamilton, chair of Healthy Brandon, Katie Slimmon, co-ordinator of the Global Market, and Melanie Hellyer, Healthy Brandon member. (SUBMITTED)
One key direction of the group is keeping youth well.
"Investing in children now will help to ensure that we have healthy adults in the future, which will in turn lessen the burden on the healthcare and justice systems," said Vanessa Hamilton, chair of Healthy Brandon.
"It will also contribute to a healthy economy by strengthening Canada’s shrinking labour force."
Initiatives geared towards youth involve a wide range of ages, from preschoolers to post graduation.
Healthy Brandon is a partner of Youth Revolution, a successful student-leadership program within the Brandon School Division. The program engages students to develop and implement healthy lifestyles projects.
Healthy Brandon has also developed a partnership with the Assiniboine Kiwanis Club by jointly organizing the annual Biggest Loser Challenge. Funds raised sponsors many local organizations, many of them targeting youth such as the Terrific Kids Program in the schools.
Healthy Brandon is an advocate of locally grown food and is a member of the Brandon Community Garden Network.
It has recently connected three youth organizations — YMCA South Daycare, Youth for Christ and Pathfinders — to community gardens for the first time.
Healthy Brandon also supports the gardens at the Brandon Friendship Centre and the Hummingbird Garden, providing fresh vegetables for hundreds of families.
"Community initiatives such as the gardens rely on residents who are passionate about the projects," said Healthy Brandon member Melanie Hellyer.
Since its inception, Hummingbird Garden co-ordinator Brian Fowell has been a dedicated volunteer and instrumental to the continued success of the garden.
"He really does go above and beyond. Last year he even organized a stone soup supper with live entertainment for the gardeners at the end of the season," Hellyer said.
Healthy Brandon is working with others to address food security, and regularly meets with the Samaritan House to discuss current issues. A family of two adults and one child who access the Samaritan House only has approximately $105 per month for food.
The group partners with Brandon’s Food for Thought Program during Nutrition Month, and also works with the Brandon Literacy Council Inc. to develop a cookbook focusing on eating well on a budget. The cookbook will focus on minimum ingredients and foods often provided in food hampers.
This year Healthy Brandon is supporting the City of Brandon’s Youth Activity Centres at the East End and Park Community Centres, and is a founding partner of the new Youth Activity Centre that opened at the South End Community Centre this summer.
Each centre has two co-ordinators who set direction for the centres by planning scheduled activities and snacks. A number of mentors are also hired for the season to assist with the day to day operations over the summer months. The mentors act as role models for the youth accessing the centres.
Members of Healthy Brandon met with the Youth Activity Centre co-ordinators to provide them with resource binders to help them incorporate healthy messaging into the Youth Activity Centre calendars.
Topics included healthy eating, being tobacco free, physical activity, injury prevention, mental wellbeing and healthy relationships.
"We are pleased with the opportunity to partner with the City of Brandon on affordable and accessible recreation for youth aged nine to 15. I’m impressed with the enthusiasm and leadership of the co-ordinators and their willingness to learn about healthy lifestyles," Hamilton said.
Healthy Brandon will also be supporting the new Youth Centre, a year round centre spearheaded by the City of Brandon that is slated to open in 2013.
Recognizing the importance of downtown revitalization in the overall prosperity of communities and residents, the group has recently partnered with the new Downtown Global Market at Rosser Avenue and 12th Street.
Meanwhile, the community coalition will be involved in a number of upcoming projects.
It has recently formed a relationship with Healthy Campus, a group that targets post-secondary students. They will soon be planning healthy initiatives for students at Brandon University and Assiniboine Community College.
Cooking classes are also in the works. In partnership with Healthy Brandon, Derek Woychyshyn, chef and local business owner of Komfort Kitchen will be hosting sessions for youth that will focus on basic food preparation skills.
The group also presented money to Westman Immigrant Services to be used in a series of cooking classes for newcomers. The classes will target young new immigrants, aged 13-15, teaching them how to choose and prepare healthy food for themselves in Canada.
Healthy Brandon believes in working together to create a healthy community. To learn more about the group or to get involved, visit www.healthybrandon.ca or call Vanessa Hamilton at 204-578-2195.
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Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition August 23, 2012
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Healthy Brandon is a non-profit, community coalition made up of numerous partners with the goal of working together with individuals, organizations and businesses to build a healthier Brandon.
One key direction of the group is keeping youth well.
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Healthy Brandon is a non-profit, community coalition made up of numerous partners with the goal of working together with individuals, organizations and businesses to build a healthier Brandon.
One key direction of the group is keeping youth well.
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