JLC’s Dani Flowerday "Celebrates food…from field to table" as speaker at March GM during National Nutrition Month!

March was National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme was "Celebrate food… from field to table!” JLC member Dani Flowerday is a Registered Dietician with more than 15 years of experience promoting nutrition and health within the community. Dani has a keen interest in nutrition education and has worked with a variety of health and wellness agencies and fitness centres within Calgary.

Nutrition Month is an initiative from Dietitians of Canada to encourage families to take an active role in planning meals, purchasing food and preparing healthy food at home. It’s an opportunity for parents, teachers and community leaders to educate children about food and nutrition. 

"Obesity has become the most prevalent nutritional problem in the world, eclipsing under-nutrition and infectious disease as the most significant contributor to ill health and mortality" (CMAJ, 2007; 176-8). In Canada, one in four children is overweight and obesity rates have quadrupled over the last 15 years. Health risks associated with obesity are occurring at a much younger age and include Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, osteoarthritis and social and psychological problems such as low self esteem and depression. 

Obesity is caused by an imbalance between calories consumed and calories used. Though it sounds like a simple equation there are many genetic, behavioural and environmental contributors at play. Some of the
behaviours which have been identified as potentially contributing to this energy imbalance include:

• Lack of physical activity
• Increase in sedentary behaviour
• Increased portion sizes for food and beverages
• Increased number of meals eaten away from home
• Frequent snacking on energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods
• Increased consumption of sugar sweetened drinks
• Fewer family meals prepared and eaten at home

Kids In the Kitchen is an all-league initiative to raise awareness and provide solutions for childhood obesity. In Calgary, KITK takes place each spring at a selected elementary school that devotes an entire day to learning about healthy and active living. Kids ages 9-12 rotate through four interactive learning areas including food preparation, creative dance and exercise, a food group relay and a "Mission Nutrition" food lab.
In the "Mission Nutrition" food lab children visit four learning stations, where they are challenged to find out the facts about healthy eating. Each learning station attempts to address several of the behaviours contributing to childhood obesity in a fun and interactive way, hopefully inspiring and empowering our kids to make healthy living choices throughout their lives.

• Station 1: Eating Well With Canada’s Food Guide - Kids identify the amount and types of food that makes up a healthy eating pattern.
•  Station 2: Rate Your Breakfast Cereal - Children learn how to use the nutrition facts label on food packaging to identify healthy options.
• Station 3: Quench Your Thirst…Not Your Sweet Tooth - Kids learn about healthy drinks choices and how much sugar goes into sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Station 4: Fast Food, Be Choosey - Kids learn how to identify healthier fast food options.

This year Kids in the Kitchen takes place on May 3rd at Cambrian Heights School.

Our sincere thanks to Dani for speaking at our GM on this timely subject, enlightening us about good nutrition and encouraging us to rededicate ourselves to the KITK initiative. Thank you also to all the JLC members who volunteered to assist with the demonstrations!

For more information on National Nutrition Month as well as for up-to-date reliable nutrition tips and resources go to www.dietitians.ca.

Canada's 'Looneyspoons Sisters' Take Up the Fight Against Childhood Obesity in Partnership With the Canadian Federation of Junior Leagues' Kids in the Kitchen Program!

Janet and Greta Podleski, the co-hosts of the popular Food Network Canada TV series, Eat, Shrink & Be Merry! and authors of the best-selling Looneyspoons cookbook , have joined the Canadian Federation of Junior Leagues’ national campaign to promote the Kids in the Kitchen program, which is one of the most successful programs targeting childhood obesity in North America.  The program, which the Junior League of Calgary started as the Junior Chefs in 2001, is now being offered as Kids in the Kitchen by more than [200] independent Junior Leagues in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

Read the full press release by clicking on the following link:
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Canadas-Looneyspoons-Sisters-Take-Up-Fight-Against-Childhood-Obesity-Partnership-With-1407764.htm

March is National Nutrition Month!

This March is Nutrition Month in Canada and it is the theme of our March General Meeting. Led by Dietitians of Canada, this annual campaign meshes well with our own Issue Area of Healthy and Active Living and The Association of Junior Leagues International’s league-wide Kids in the Kitchen (KITK) initiative.


Healthy eating is an essential part of a child’s normal growth and development. In Canada, rates of obesity among children and youth ages 2 to 17 has tripled over the last 25 years. In 1979, 3% of children and youth were obese. By 2004, 8% were obese. This number continues to climb, and Statistics Canada says that an additional 18% of Canadian children and youth are currently overweight.

While many factors impact this ever-increasing obesity of our children, healthy, nutritious eating and healthy food behaviours, including age-appropriate cooking and shopping skills, are vitally important in combating this trend and in reducing the risk of future chronic diseases such as diabetes and premature hardening of the arteries.

In this regard, KITK forms the foundation for our MUM (Moms U Matter) program at Highbanks Society, there is a KITK component in our Treasure Trunk Program at Brenda’s House and we will proudly be putting on our 6th annual KITK program this spring!

This year’s Nutrition Month theme is "Celebrate food…from field to table!"  In keeping with this theme, and our own Healthy and Active Living focus, please be encouraged to make choosing healthy and nutritious food, whether from a farmers’ market or the grocery store, a part of your and your children’s daily life.

Alice Gardner-Boreta
President, Junior League of Calgary
Reprinted from President's Message in Feb Lasso

JLC Members Attend 2011 Northwest Exchange!

Active members Marla McCutcheon and Cyndi Cox attended the Northwest Exchange hosted by the Junior League of Seattle February 4-6. The theme of the weekend was "Becoming a Catalyst for Community Change" with many exciting speakers and activities.

To kick off the action-packed weekend three Junior League of Seattle Members presented inspirational stories of their personal experiences in the Junior League and how it has impacted their life journey.



Saturday was off to a fast paced start with opening speaker Dr. Gary Mangiofico, Associate Dean at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business Management. Dr. Mangiofico set the tone by focusing on how relationships are the foundation to creating lasting change.



A panel of speakers joined the attendees on Saturday afternoon to lead an active discussion on the topic, "Balancing Your Passions". Some of the advice given was:

•  Take things one step at a time
• Give yourself an occasional pass, you can’t always give 110%
•  Appreciate the little things in life
• Set goals and say them out loud
• Be upfront with yourself, your family and others you work closely with on your passions



Marla McCutcheon Grant and Cyndi cox

Saturday wrapped up with a closing session emphasizing the need to care and have a passion to influence change.

Of course no Junior League Exchange would be complete without a few social activities - Saturday night was fun-filled with a Cupcake and Champagne event, followed on Sunday morning by a jog along the Seattle waterfront.

Susan Danish, AJLI Executive Director, wrapped up the conference explaining the AJLI Strategic Roadmap and highlighting the future direction of the Junior League.

Treasure Trunk Program Update!

Our February 9 session of our Treasure Trunk Program at Brenda's House focused on "Kids in the Arts" (KARTS) and "Kids in Motion & Music" (KIMM). The session started with our Theme Song and opening of a small treasure trunk to discover clues about what the activities would be. The children were soon singing, doing yoga, talking about art and making their own door hangers. Several mothers and a dad with young babies were engaged in our "Babies in the Story" (BITS) program with JLC volunteers reading stories, singing songs, and getting the parents/mothers to share their favourite songs as well. Each baby’s family was given a hand puppet book as a gift and each child was given a bag or arts and crafts supplies. Thus we introduced ideas, role modeled, engaged the children/moms/dad/babies and left them tools with which to carry on with their own growth and development.

For more information on our Treasure Trunk Program at Brenda's House, click here.

Highbanks Society Executive Director Speaks At February General Meeting!

Cecilia de la Rocha, the Executive Director of Highbanks Society Independent Living for Parenting Youth (Highbanks), was the guest speaker at the February General Meeting. Her presentation "Highbanks Society - Holistically Supporting Calgary's Parenting Youth" was a fabulous tool that helped Junior League of Calgary (JLC) members better appreciate the extent of resources that are available to the young mothers in addition to the JLC MUM program currently being offered for Highbanks residents.


Cecilia informed us that Highbanks provides a safe, stable, affordable place to live for young mothers. In addition to serving as the landlord for eight units at two facilities, Highbanks provides a nurturing environment where the young mother can receive peer and community support. Young mothers may be residents for up to two years.

With the help of Highbanks staff, each young mom creates a plan that outlines specific educational, career and personal goals, and each mother is responsible for taking the necessary steps towards reaching them. The plan includes timelines for attaining these goals and methods for tracking progress towards their achievement. Highbanks staff provide support, encouragement and access to community resources to assist the young mothers in their efforts. Ultimately, however, each mother must navigate her own journey to success.

JLC members learned that Highbanks offers the young mothers many in-house opportunities for learning and growth. Some opportunities, like the JLC MUM program, require attendance by the residents; attending other opportunities are discretionary. In addition to learning and growth, the programs also include fun activities that are intended to rejuvenate these moms.

Cecilia brings to Highbanks Society her personal experience of teenage motherhood along with more than 17 years of professional work experience. A Civil Engineering graduate from the University of Toronto, Cecilia started volunteering with Highbanks in the spring of 2008, working with the residents on money-management and personal budgeting. This opportunity led to her position as the Highbanks’ Program Director in September 2008. In June 2010, Cecilia was appointed its Executive Director.
 
Highbanks Society Webpage

Junior League of Calgary's MUM Program Information

Another JLC Member in the News!

JLC Sustainer and Past President Julie Johnston served as co-chair of National Philanthropy Week.   Here is a photo from the insert in the Calgary Herald, the week of November 11-19, 2010.