Tuesday, June 10, 2008

FOCUS on health


What happens when teachers, health care workers, members of the local police force and other interested individuals get together? The answer is, 'some pretty interesting stuff'. There were about fifteen people present as participants shared a healthy lunch and then listened to the buzz about recent happenings in the area.

The particular focus of this meeting is the health of the community, specifically various means to promote healthy living among the local population. There are many facets to promoting health including helping individuals who are food insecure to find sustainable sources of healthy meals, assisting those with chemical and drug dependencies to face the truths from which they may be hiding, and creating environments where strangers can feel welcome.

From the very beginning of the discussion, I could tell that those who were there had a keen interest in what they were doing, and that they are all devoted to promoting healthy living within their own spheres of influence. Various activities including drug awareness among youth, especially as many high school students are preparing for graduation ceremonies; planting and caring for a traditional medicine garden, using the sacred medicines known and revered by the anishanabec people; and training in adictions councelling continue to chip away at the ever-present danger of falling victim to wayward lifestyles.

In truth, it's all about providing the tools so that people can be the best at what they do and at who they are, for if we have truly learned the lessons of life, we never stop marveling at life.

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