JULY 24, 2019
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Mood Movers
News Advertiser insider PAGE 3 moods and emotions and how physical activity or healthy eating, as well as, doing art can help increase their mood or positive attitude. On July 17, a presenter came in to teach children how to create dream catchers. The children also went to the Lions Spray Park and every day they had a chance to cook something different, as well as, they learned about Canada’s Food Guide.
MHCB Wellness Coach, McKenna Makowecki helps these kids with cards with positive statements on them. (Rosanne Fortier/photo)
Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent
Sometimes, people just need a certain activity to help adjust their mood. 12 children from eight to 11 discovered ways they can get into a good mood at the Mental Health Capacity Building (MHCB)
Vegreville Mood Movers program from July 16 to July 18 at A.L. Horton School. This program featured art, movement activities and cooking. Coordinator for MHCB, Kirstin McSween said this program is meant to teach children about different
Kids Pedal Their Way to a Great Life
Kids cheer on the other children when they participate in an obstacle course. (Rosanne Fortier/photo)
Rosanne Fortier News Correspondent Biking helps people obtain good physical and mental health. The Pedal Pals Earn A Bike program ensured 31 children between the ages of six to 14 who didn’t have a bike had the chance to own a bike when they participated in this program offered by Mental Health Capability Building (MHCB) around A.L. Horton School from July 8 to July 11. MHCB Wellness Coach, McKenna Makowecki said the children were asked if they wanted to own a bike at the end of the school year and if they said yes, they could participate in this program because it is not based on their family’s income. Canadian Tire and Jumpstart helped to provide the bikes and the helmets. “We wanted to have this program because bikes are expensive to own. We had Alberta Health Services come in to teach the children about helmet safety. The fire department instructed the children on basic first aid. So, if the kids fall, they knew what to do. Also, we had the RCMP come in and they taught the kids about the bylaws in Vegreville and neighborhood’s safety and how to properly put your bike on the rack without getting it stolen and they taught them
about wearing a helmet. This program is good because it teaches the kids so much about bike safety and how to use the bike trails in Vegreville. They also learned if they need to ride their bike without their parents around, the safety and responsibility of themselves when they are on the roads. There were about 10 participants who had to learn how to ride a bike because this was the first time they rode a bike. This went really well. “Biking is essential for children’s mental health because of the physical activity involved and doing this helps to change the children’s moods and of course, a lot of friendships were made which was nice. It was a fun program overall and we will be in the Vegreville Agricultural Fair parade where the kids will decorate their bikes and ride them in the parade,” Makowecki said. “The children also learned it is about earning a bike. There are rules that go with the word-mentor and this program was about being a mentor towards other kids whether they are younger or older than you.” For the final day on July 11, the participants took part in an obstacle course where each child rode their bike through this course and the other children cheered them on.
