Country News

February 1st, 2015 Volume 16, Issue 2

“Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

-John Wooden “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.”

-Mother Teresa “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.

-Aristotle

Points of Interest:  Heart and Stroke  Anti-Bulling Day  Cycle for Life Tour  Team Highlights  Website  Nutrition Corner  Help Fill a Dream  Family Day Contest  Birthdays  Country Community

Heart and Stroke Foundation February is Heart Month , the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s key opportunity to reach millions of Canadians and alert them of the risks of heart disease and stroke. Once again, Country Grocer is committed to rally together with the Heart and Stroke Foundation. We will support their mission to improve the health of Canadians by preventing and reducing disability and death from heart disease and stroke through research, health promotion and social change.

We will have $2 paper hearts for sale for the month of February and all proceeds will go to the cause.

On Valentine’s Day, February 14th, dress in red to support!

Anti-Bullying Day On Wednesday February 25, 2015, dress in pink to show support for anti-bullying.

Purchase a t-shirt from London Drugs and all proceeds to go programs like Boys and Girls Clubs of BC, Kids Help Phone, Kidsafe Project Society, and Leave out Violence Society (LOVE BC).

February 9th is a statutory holiday– Family Day

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Country News

Volume 16, Issue 2

Cycle of Life Tour– Update Reminder to sign up for the Cycle for Life Tour with Team Leaders Bill Peppy and Dave Hubscher. We want to add to our already amazing team of Bill, Dave, Serena (CH), and Garth (RO), to train and to benefit hospice on Vancouver Island. Let’s help make this a successful event for a very worthy cause.

The deadline for sign up is February 13th.

Bill Peppy- bill@iibg.ca Dave Hubscher- dave@iibg.ca

Team Highlights/New Website Congratulations to Jace Spanbauer at our Cobble Hill store on the birth of his baby girl, Katlyn Joyce Spanbauer. Katlyn was born on Dec 23, 2014 at 2:18pm. She was 6 lbs 7 oz.

Check out our new and improved website at www.countrygrocer.com Did you know that we launched a new website January 19th? Check out the new and improved look! Features include our weekly, flyer, mid-week deals, recipes, and custom shopping list. Log in to Team Connection and find out upcoming events, team blog, see your paystub and much more! Any questions?

Email: marketing@countrygrocer.com

Nutrition Corner Why Should We Eat Breakfast?

Breakfast is typically considered to be the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast, not one that is high in sugar or refined carbohydrates, can provide you with the energy and nutrients that you need to get through your morning, whether it be at work, at home with your kids, at the gym or in a classroom. Studies also show that breakfast can be an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. When you think of the word breakfast, think about ‘breaking a fast’. Much like your vehicle, your body needs fuel to run. A healthy breakfast that includes macro and micro nutrients will provide our bodies with what it needs to function and get us through the first part of our day.

Skipping breakfast to save a few calories is not the best strategy. By feeding our body the nutrients it requires within about an hour of waking will help to keep our blood sugar levels in balance, increase our energy levels and influence our metabolism. We’re also probably less inclined to snack on foods throughout the morning that are likely to add more calories than a well-balanced breakfast would. A healthy breakfast will include foods with adequate protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Meals that are loaded with refined carbohydrates and sugar will not only leave you feeling lethargic, they will also leave you feeling less satisfied. A few healthy breakfast ideas are combinations such as scrambled eggs with veggies, a serving of 0% Greek yogurt with mixed berries and some homemade granola, high fiber toast with peanut butter and a banana, half a cup of oatmeal with a tablespoon or two of seeds (chia, flax, or hemp) or a protein shake that might include some fruit and some greens. These combinations will help you to feel the most satiated. If time is an issue for you in the morning, don’t reach for a pastry on the go, try blending a smoothie the night before and store it in a mason jar in the fridge…you could even drink it in the shower.

Nourish your beautiful body, it will be so glad you did!

If you have any questions, please email Erin at nutrition@countrygrocer.com

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Country News

Volume 16, Issue 2

Help Fill A Dream- $14,124 “We are always amazed at the energy and enthusiasm the Country Grocer team puts into this campaign. This certainly pays off as is evident by the record amount raised this year. It is our favourite fundraising campaign because of the variety of ways that people can participate and because we get to visually see the results on the walls and windows of the stores as it progresses. Every dollar raised goes immediately to helping Island children living with life -threatening conditions. Over the past four years, the money raised by this campaign has made Dreams, both big and small, come true. We are so fortunate that many of our Dream children have joined us in the stores to both launch and close the campaign each year. This year we got to meet Baby Alex from Nanaimo who spent the first 174 days of his life at the hospital. Help Fill A Dream supported Alex's family by paying for their 156 day stay at Jeneece Place. This is only possible with the support of our local partners like Country Grocer. We cannot say thank you enough to the Country Grocer team for all that you do. You all are Dream Makers. "

Craig Smith—Executive Director, Help Fill A Dream Foundation

Some our Esquimalt team members excepting flowers for their amazing efforts bringing in $5438 of the $14,124 raised in this year's Help Fill a Dream campaign. We really appreciate all your support!

(Amanda, Kathleen, Katrina, Katriana, Brad, Michelle, Tracy, and Tylea with dream receiver James and his mum Courtney).

Family Day Contest How are you spending your Family Day on February 9th?

We want to see what you and your family does to celebrate and have fun!

Send your family pictures in to marketing@countrygrocer.com to win a $100 gift card to Boston Pizza!

Look for family photos in next month’s newsletter!

Country News

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Volume 16, Issue 2

Country Community Health Wellness & Sustainability Festival

Victoria Conference Centre February 7, 2015

ROYAL OAK

Kika Colleen Carlos Jeff Z. Jeff B.

Feb 1 Feb 11 Feb 16 Feb 20 Feb 29

ESQUIMALT

Steven Stephen G. John Z. Marla

Feb 4 Feb 10 Feb 16 Feb 26

NANAIMO–BOWEN Kyle Tory Christine Melissa Jennifer S. Kim Brandon SALT SPRING

Jason N. Feb 2 Ryan C. Feb 21 Sharon R. Feb 24

COBBLE HILL

LAKE COWICHAN

Ryan Feb 5 Sharon Feb 14

Debbie R. Sarah Wayne

ADMIN

Pamela Feb 3 IIBG

Tammy Rob W. William Ryan W.

Feb 10 Feb 12 Feb 24 Feb 24

NANAIMO CHASE RIVER

Bernie Jarryd Caroline Alana Danielle Leann Kate Leigha Julia

Feb 9 Feb 14 Feb 15 Feb 18 Feb 20 Feb 21 Feb 26 Feb 28 Feb 29

www.healthandwellnessfestival.ca The Health, Wellness & Sustainability Festival is a yearly celebration and education on any and all things leading to a healthier body and mind. The festival is host to dozens of local and international guests and vendors specializing in a wide range of health enhancing, gluten-free food, acupuncture, naturopathy, massage therapy, health-minded cosmetics and skin care, fitness studio’s, yoga, martial arts and much more.

Be a Tourist in your own Hometown February 26-March 1, 2015 www.attractionsvictoria.com/be-a-tourist See the sights for less.

Grab your fanny pack and get ready to be a tourist in Victoria! Order a savings passport, valued at over $300, and get free or heavily discounted access to over 30 attractions, tours, museums and more!

Harlem Globetrotters February 10, 2015 at 7 pm Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre www.saveonfoodsmemorialcentre.com The iconic Harlem Globetrotters are coming to town with their unrivaled family show, featuring some of the greatest athletes on the planet. With incredible ball handling wizardry, amazing rimrattling dunks and trick shots, side-splitting comedy and unequaled on-court fan interaction

NOTE: stores without dates are as per their request.

Email your submissions to: newsletter@countrygrocer.com with by February 20th for our March 1st issue!