Community
Primary Care Network gears up for annual Fun Run Proceeds help to support the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre
By Mark Weber
It’s time to hit the trails for an exceptional cause with the annual Primary Care Network Fun Run right around the corner.
This year’s event is slated to run May 7th in the Capstone area near downtown.
Anyone can take part, and participants can opt to sign up for 3km, 5km or 10km routes.
There is even a ‘Dog Jog’ this year for those who would like their furry friends to join in the fun.
Organizers point out that you can also choose to walk if you like.
The youngest members of the family can also get involved via the ‘500m Little Surfers’ and the ‘100m Boogie Babies’ events.
“The Fun Run is something that really fits with us – we are all about health promotion, encouraging people to be active and also encouraging families to get out there,” explains Lorna Milkovich, the PCN’s executive director. “And any funds being raised are going to the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre.”
Although some registration deadlines have passed, it’s not too late to get involved. Folks are welcome to even come down on May 7th and sign up. “There have been different deadlines for certain prizes and things, but you can do ‘walk-on’ registration,” she said.
“It’s also basically accessible to anyone!”
Adding to the action-packed day is a special ‘beach’ theme this year, according to the web site.
“You may have to use a little imagination to feel the sand between your toes as you run/walk your 10km, 5km, or 3km route, so put on your best sun gear to help set the mood – we’re thinking bright colours, fun shades and beach hats!”
And it’s not just about the Fun Run – there are loads of activities planned through the day from a Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre Charity barbecue, face painters and lots of family activities and games by the Red Deer Family Resource Network to the CACAC Beer Gardens and Games area (partnered with Troubled Monk) and the Courage Cup Ball Hockey Tournament and After-Party.
The Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the protection and recovery of children.
“The organization was founded in response to a community crisis,” notes the web site. “An epidemic of youth suicides hit hard in Central Alberta, sparking overdue conversations and the need for a solution.
“A community coalition was formed with a goal to provide accessible mental health resources for adolescents, but the vision quickly expanded thanks to Sheldon Kennedy. It takes courage for a child to come forward and share that someone has hurt them – we are here to listen without judgment, provide a safe and comfortable space for them to share their story, to provide guidance and support – and to ultimately give them back the chance of a healthy future.”
In the meantime, things continue to be very busy at the PCN – staff members are gearing up to run a bike corral at the Farmer’s Market as they’ve done for years, said Milkovitch. It’s a popular public service to protect people’s bikes while they check out the market.
And of course, on the medical/health side of things, there is plenty going on via the organization’s multitude of very helpful programs.
Staff are hosting a Health Café with the City of Red Deer and Alberta Health Services on May 17 at 1 p.m., and it’s going to be on ‘Year of the Garden’.
It’s all part of a City of Red Deer initiative to encourage folks to get outside and be more active by gardening through the spring and summer.
And on June 15, a Health Café on ‘Post-partum Mental Health’ is set to start at 1 p.m. This session will be hosted by Ivy Parsons of AHS and PCN Family Nurse Michelle Abbott.
There are also plenty of regular programs through the PCN, which are free of charge, to check out from Anxiety to Calm, Happiness Basics and Moving on With Persistent pain to Relationships in Motion, Sleep, and Journey
Through Grief.
Others include My Way to Health (formerly Health Basics), Strong and Steady (which focuses on bolstering one’s strength and flexibility) and H.E.A.R.T.S. which has been designed to help families through the loss of a child during pregnancy or shortly after birth.
Several individual programs are available as well from help with diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol to pharmacy queries to assistance with everything from quitting smoking to learning more about housing or financing.
For more about the PCN, check out reddeerpcn.com or call the office at 403-343-9100.
For complete details about the PCN Fun Run, check out www.reddeerfunrun.com.
Westerner Park, a distinguished agricultural society and premier exhibition venue in the heart of Central Alberta, is pleased to announce Shelly Flint as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This decision culminates a thorough and extensive search process, with the Board of Directors expressing their enthusiasm for the promising journey ahead under Shelly’s leadership.
Tyler Nightingale, President of the Board of Directors, shared his excitement about the appointment, stating, “After a comprehensive search, we are thrilled to welcome Shelly. Her extensive experience, skill set, and knowledge align seamlessly with the strategic direction of Westerner Park, ensuring a positive and enduring impact on both the organization and the community at large.”
Tara Lodewyk, Red Deer City Manager, added, “Shelly immediately connected with the mission of Westerner Park and the value it brings to the culture of our city and region. We are looking forward to working together and are confident in her leadership of Westerner Park.”
For the past two decades, Shelly has served as a senior executive, spearheading diverse teams within Alberta’s dynamic entertainment and finance sectors. Her tenure as the former CFO at the Calgary Stampede equips her with a distinctive insight into the intricacies of Westerner Park, enabling her to adeptly navigate its challenges and leverage its opportunities. Coupled with her roots in Central Alberta, Shelly is poised to steer the Park towards growth and long-term sustainability.
Shelly expressed her eagerness to join Westerner Park, saying, “I was thrilled at the opportunity to return to Central Alberta, where I grew up! Leading this purpose-driven organization will allow me to contribute to my community and affect meaningful change.”
Shelly Flint’s robust leadership, commitment to community, and extensive experience makes her an exceptional choice to lead Westerner Park into the future. The entire Westerner Park team eagerly anticipates the positive impact she will bring to this renowned institution.
About Westerner Park
Westerner Park is Central Alberta’s largest tradeshow, agricultural, sports, entertainment, and convention facility. A not-for-profit organization and agricultural society, Westerner Park typically generates $150 million annually in economic activity, hosting over 1,500 events and 1.5 million visitors each year.
News release from 100 Women Who Care
The room was buzzing with energy and connection on Monday night – what a great way to kick off the fall with a full-house!
Thanks to everyone who joined us, with a special thank you to the 14 new members and their friends who encouraged them to join. There were also a few ladies simply checking out the vibe and we hope to see them again.
We had three excellent, engaging presentations from:
- Judy-Ann Wybenga – Red Deer Food Bank Society
- Jean Stinson – Red Deer Action Group Society
- Lisa Smith – Central Alberta Pregnancy Care Centre
Congratulations to Judy-Ann! Our donations are going to the Red Deer Food Bank Society for their Community Kitchen initiative. We sure hope we get two big cans on the donor board. (Inside joke, ya had to be there! 
)
There are two ways to make your donations to the Red Deer Food Bank through the Red Deer and District Community Foundation:
- Mail a cheque to the Red Deer & District Community Foundation at 4901 48 St #503, Red Deer, AB T4N 6M4. Please write “100+ Women RD” along with “Red Deer Food Bank” in the memo line.
OR
- Use this link or QR code to donate – just be sure to note Red Deer Food Bank on the online form. If you can, please consider adding $4 to your online donation to cover the Foundation’s processing fees. Simply click on the link to do so – no need to add it to your donation.
https://www.canadahelps.org/
The Red Deer and District Community Foundation manages our donations and ensures that they arrive all present and accounted for to the recipient charities. Erin Peden, Executive Director of the RDDCF (and 100+ Women member) gave us an enlightening date on the amazing work happening at the Foundation. It sure had both of us thinking about ways we can support it more.
Thank you Jody Wianko for the update from CMHA. Our donation helped more that 340 people since April.
Kim Mortimer, The SnapHappy Photographer, was everywhere in the room getting great action shots. The sample above from April’s meeting shows what a fun, yet serious, group we are. It’s so great having you at the meetings, Kim. And for bringing friends!
There is so much happening in Central Alberta! Here are a few of the community announcements:
We asked and these gals delivered! Jillian donated a beautiful autumn arrangement and two tickets to the Mustard Seed’s Bowls for Bellies event. Shelley donated a $100 gift certificate from her family business, Twisted Steel Blacksmithing. Annamarie donated a gorgeous fresh bouquet on behalf of Hucal and Edwards Orthodontics.
We asked and you delivered! The Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter and Safe Harbour Society are very grateful for the generous donations of toiletries and personal care items.
It was great to see so many people arrive early to socialize and a number that stuck around after the meeting to keep the evening’s energy going. Thank you to Mary Warrener, Samantha Sheridan and Gail Bellanger for all their help at the registration desk, collecting and counting ballots, and generally keeping us organized. Thanks also to everyone who assisted with the post-meeting clean up. We hardly had to lift a finger and it gave us a chance to visit a few of you.
And lastly – aargh – EMAIL ISSUES! We have heard from many of you that you’re not getting our emails, so we took some time before sending this out to restructure our email list. Fingers crossed that it worked! Please respond to the read request. This will help us gauge who is and who isn’t getting the emails. Please compare notes with your 100+ Women friends, too, by asking if they received this email and letting us know if there are still gaps. Our apologies to everyone who hasn’t been in the loop and we that this is rectified “toot sweet” 
.
NEXT MEETING: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27.
With so much gratitude to all of you,
Cindy and Susan
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