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Students of St. Andrew’s Catholic School and Killaloe Public School are invited to join a Walking School Bus on the morning of Friday June 4, 2010 as part of a celebration of Canadian Environment Week and the United Nations World Environment Day.
A Walking School Bus is a physically active way to get to and from school where parents, caregivers or community volunteers act as “drivers” and pick up students along a designated route and walk together.
“According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, with 87% of children and youth not active enough to meet guidelines for healthy growth and development, we need to create ways for children to be more active in their daily lives” says Shawna Babcock, Executive Director of KidActive, the organization that is leading this initiative. “Research indicates that an effective way to increase activity levels is through child and family focused Active Transportation. Active Transportation includes supporting safe, active routes to and from school and other places that children and their families frequent in their community.”
Walking School Buses are popular around the world, with 2,500 participating schools in 22 different Ontario communities. Walking School Buses create safer routes for walking and emphasize the importance of increasing physical activity among children for their healthy growth and development. Walking School Buses also highlight pedestrian safety, concern and action for the environment and build connections between families, schools and the broader community.
The Killaloe Walking School Bus event will begin at 8:15 am on Friday June 4th with students, parents and community leaders beginning at the corner of Queen and Annie Streets and proceeding along Queen Street to each school. Other special activities associated with the walk include the ‘Golden Shoe Award’ for the class with the highest participation rate and certificates for all participating students. Regular bus students can also get involved once they arrive at school with an onsite walking loop that will go towards their class participation.
This community initiative is being led by KidActive in partnership with the Community Resource Centre in Killaloe and the Ottawa River Institute; all Renfrew County based not-for-profit organizations.
Tammy Keetch, Education Coordinator, KidActive
613-757-2474,
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Active and Safe Routes to School, www.saferoutestoschool.ca
Active Healthy Kids Canada, www.activehealthykids.ca
Community Resource Centre, www.crc-renfrewcounty.com
Ottawa River Institute, www.ottawariverinstitute.ca
'IT IS IN OUR NATURE' - LEARNING, LIVING AND PLAYING OUTSIDE
As advocates of professional excellence and community engagement, KidActive supports the healthy development of our children and youth through innovative approaches to health, education, recreation and increasing access to natural outdoor spaces. It is through each of these avenues that we believe we can affect change so that every child spends more time living, learning and playing outside.
• ADVOCACY
• COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
• PROGRAMMING
Each initiative identifies the outdoors as an ideal environment - a critical ‘classroom' and accessible ‘backyard' for children, youth and their families to develop a meaningful relationship with their natural environment.
ADVOCACY & EVENTS
1. Partnership with the Champlain Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Network (CCPN) "Healthy School Aged Children"
2. Partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario "Spark Together for Healthy Kids". Support Spark by clicking on the link below:
3. April 20, 2009 - Presentation at the Round Table for Healthy Children with M.P. Carolyn Bennett and Hon. Margarett Best, M.P.P., Minister of Health Promotion. Represented by KidActive board member Jane Brownrigg, Regional Manager, Prevention & Rehab, University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
4. Founding member and lead coordinator of Renfrew County's Physical Activity Network: PAN-RC - see below & link to: PAN-RC
COMMUNITY COLLABORATION & INITIATIVES
OUTREACH WORKSHOPS
KidActive Outreach Workshops are currently taking place in schools across the County of Renfrew and the Eastern Ontario area of the Champlain Region.
Engaging children in active outdoor playing and learning is an integral part of our vision. The outdoors as a classroom is a concept that provides every child the opportunity to be active and build a positive relationship with the natural world. Linking all aspects of our workshop to each subject in the Ontario Curriculum is critical to building active outdoor learning to every child's day. We build on a whole school and whole child approach - linking cross curricular teaching with health and environmental education principles.
PAN-RC - PHYSICAL ACTIVITY NETWORK - RENFREW COUNTY
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CONFERENCE - OCTOBER 23, 2008
'Building a Framework for Action'
A Physical Activity Network Conference was held in Renfrew County - a region of eastern Ontario rich in natural playgrounds, innovation and leadership. The participation of 74 multi sector community leaders is a clear and strong testament of our commitment to improving the mental and physical health and well being of Renfrew County residents and visitors. This conference was hosted by: University of Ottawa Heart Institute - Heart Wise Exercise Program, County of Renfrew Paramedic Services, Government of Ontario's Ministry of Health Promotion and KidActive - Healthy Kids, Communities and Outdoors.
Download the conference outline : conference_outline_rev.pdf
Link to Summary Report & Conference Presentations
Following an inspiring day of speakers and a forum for conversation, we are moving towards our next steps.
Where do we go from here? We respond to the challenge.
We can be very innovative, exemplary and effective in the ways in which we address the staggering statistics clearly presented by Dr. Andrew Pipe. "Eastern Ontario is confronted with levels of health risk, mortality and morbidity that are not only the highest in Ontario, but may very well be the highest in Canada".
The determinants of health extend far beyond access to medical care. Prevention and rehabilitation through increased daily physical activity is critical to improving the quality of our lives. The natural, built and family environments, economic status , social well being, education and recreation opportunities are among the many factors that make up significant determinants of health. It is through each of these avenues that we will affect change.
Warden Janice Visneskie stated: "I believe that your leadership is the key to mobilizing our neighbourhoods and community groups toward a shared goal of promoting wellness through physical activity programs. We have the ability to create a new social-norm of physical activity in Renfrew County through the promotion of daily movement, recreation, play and exercise. This behavioral shift will have a profound impact on future generations."
Next Steps: A Framework for Action.
- Dissemination of information - speaker slide presentations will be made available on line.
- A summary of the ‘County of Renfrew Map Activity' of existing initiatives and gaps will be circulated.
- A forum for discussion and development of a network strategy will be provided within a reasonable timeframe.
- Circulation of participant contact information (for those participants who consented).
We contribute to the factors and forces that shape the health of our community members. The time to act is now.
January 30, 2009 Strategic Session
A multi sector community commitment to preventative health brought together champions from the Emergency Services Department, Economic Development, Health, Community Services, Recreation, Tourism, Education, Early Childhood Development and Long Term Care. Inspired to enhance our existing innovations, strengths and build on successful models that address the unique characteristics and challenges of Renfrew County, this team of professionals are moving forward to supporting healthier and happier residents and visitors.
May 01, 2009 - Moving Forward Session
The continued committment of our community spoke strongly at this meeting. Unanimous approval to submit a Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario application for funding under the Spark Together for Healthy Kids Advocacy Action Fund.
Download presentation
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