Wildcat Snack Shack combines nutrition, learning and socialization
With a $25,000 grant from the President's Choice Children's Charity to modernize its kitchen, one of the longest-running Breakfast for Learning programs in the Chinook's Edge School Division has a new look.
The Wildcat Snack Shack at Westglen School in Didsbury reopened June 20 with an iron man type student contest to create snacks from healthy ingredients such as bananas, peanut butter, rice cakes, tortillas and lettuce.
“We have served almost a quarter of a million breakfasts,” said Carolyn Massel, the Westglen principal of 300 students. The breakfast program started in 2004.
“Our breakfast program is as much about fostering relationships as it is about ensuring a proper meal for all students, “ she said.
The school estimates that 100 of its students arrive in the morning without breakfast, so the staff wanted to ensure they are ready to concentrate on their work, and start the day knowing that they are valued members of the school community.
As well as developing healthy eating habits for life, the meals are served in an area that lends itself to social interaction, Massel said.
The Snack Shack modernization included upgrading the appliances, reorganizing the space and rebuilding a wall for better separation from an adjacent classroom. President's Choice awarded the grant in recognition of the dual purpose of the breakfasts for healthy eating and creating a positive social environment for the students.
Library to hold post-rodeo summer cabaret again
The Didsbury Municipal Library plans to hold its annual post-rodeo fundraising cabaret Aug. 20 in the Memorial Complex multi purpose room, a spokesperson said.
Rooster in a Henhouse will perform music for the event and there will be 50/50 draws, a cash bar and midnight lunch. Tickets will be $10 with all proceeds given to the library.
Bear safety workshop recruits participants
The Southern Alberta Land Trust Society is inviting area residents to a bear safety workshop in the autumn to be held in the MD of Bighorn west of Didsbury.
Land trust society spokesperson Barry Urban said June 24 that the workshop would include the use of bear spray with practice using a spraying device.
The bear spray instruction has become popular this year with day hikers and picnickers in Central Alberta because of the growing bear population and the increasing number of bear-to-human contacts.
For further information about the bear safety workshop, call Urban at 403-652-9998.
