a royal crowning PAGE A3
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OBSERVER QUESNEL - CARIBOO
SINCE 1908
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
VOL. 99 NO. 93
www.quesnelobserver.com
PM 40005365
1
$ 30
includes GST
Farmers’ Market coupon program gets provincial financial infusion AUTUMN MacDONALD Observer Reporter Gold Pan families will soon benefit from a $2 million, healthy eating coupon program. Monday, the provincial government announced plans to invest a further $2 million into the expansion of the Farmer’s Market Nutrition Coupon Program. This funding provides lowerincome seniors and families in Quesnel and across the province with the tools they need to access locally-grown produce and food products and support improved healthy eating. “Any program that promotes healthy, nutritious, local eating habits is great for seniors and families,” Cariboo North MLA Coralee Oakes said. “This program does all of those things and also benefits local farmers and I’m very happy to have this program running here in Quesnel.” How the program works: • The program offers $15 worth of coupons each week to individuals and families enrolled in the nutrition and skills building programs offered by community agencies associated with each participating market. • Coupons are treated like cash and can be used to purchase a variety of B.C. food products, including fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy and herbs. • The program is expected to support about 1,300 families and 400 seniors in 2013 and
Everyone loves a parade The 40th annual Billy Barker Days Festival’s new parade route seemed to work just fine with youth participation, business floats, local officials and a host of colourful and entertaining additions. For more coverage see this paper, Friday’s paper and our Photos and Memories publication. Autumn MacDonald photo
Coming
to Ques nel
Mark it on your calendar!
August 3 & 4
at Quesnel Regional Airport Check out our website
www.quesnelskyfest.ca
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will continue to expand. • This year the program has added 13 new markets for a total of 34 participating markets located throughout the province. • The $2 million in funding provided through the Provincial Health Services Authority in 2013 builds on an initial $2 million investment in 2012. Quick Facts: • The coupon program runs from July through October 2013 and is administered by the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets. • To participate in the program, farmer’s markets partner with a community agency that works to provide nutrition, cooking, or healthy lifestyle skills building programs to lower income British Columbians. Participants then gain the skills and knowledge needed to help them eat healthier and make the most of their local farmers’ markets. • The BC Association of Farmers’ Markets is a provincially registered, non-profit association, which represents farmers’ markets throughout the province. At member markets, the focus is on selling locally grown or processed farm-fresh foods and vendors must either make, bake or grow the products they sell. For more on the program or how to enrol, www.bcfarmersmarket.org.
Congratulations to the Billy Barker Days Society directors and all their volunteers for another successful event.