Program encourages healthy habits in students
The Spokane Tribe and Washington State University Spokane CityLab are establishing an after-school and summer program to encourage physical education and good nutrition for Native American elementary students.
With the help of a $29,000 grant from the Group Health Community Foundation, CityLab and the tribe will implement “Full Court Press: Creating Healthy Champions” to train community youth leaders, implement physical education and nutrition programs and engage parents as participants in their children’s eating and exercise habits.
“We are very excited about this unique opportunity to partner with the Spokane Tribe of Indians in their ongoing programs in support of healthy activities for their children,” said Sylvia Oliver, WSU Spokane CityLab director.
Last week, representatives from several Northwest tribes, including the Spokanes, were trained in SPARK (Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids), a nationally tested, noncompetitive kindergarten through 12th grade PE program, Oliver said. These youth leaders will take their knowledge back to their communities, where they will implement after-school health clubs and summer health camps.
WSU CityLab is responsible for the other part of the program, age-appropriate nutrition education on the Spokane Reservation that tribal children can take home to their families, Oliver said.
The first after-school program begins in mid-April.
Dine with Seahawks
Twelve nutrition-savvy people and their guests will get to dine with Seattle Seahawks at their training table in Cheney this August.
The Dairy Farmers of Washington and Hoopfest are sponsoring the “Bring on the 12 Nutrition Quiz,” which was introduced at the Hoopfest Tip-Off at Gonzaga University on Monday.
To take the quiz online, go to www.seagalsnacks.net/.
There you will be asked to answer 12 of 22 multiple-choice questions about the importance of nutrition in the quiz database. Answer eight of the 12 randomly generated questions and qualify for the drawing to attend the Seattle Seahawks training table with a guest. You can even brush up on nutrition by reading a brief essay before taking the quiz. All the answers are in the essay.
The Dairy Farmers and Hoopfest hope the quiz will remind the public about the importance of nutrition in sports and to spread accurate nutrition information. Good luck.
Prokarin author to speak
Elaine DeLack, a registered nurse who developed the Prokarin treatment for symptoms of multiple sclerosis, will speak Thursday at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute.
The free lecture, “Myths of Multiple Sclerosis,” begins at 6:30 p.m. in Room 200 of the institute at 711 S. Crowle St. in Spokane.
DeLack, of Stanwood, Wash., who was diagnosed with MS in 1988, is the author of “They Said It Didn’t Make ‘Cents’ – MS – The Prokarin Story,” which details her efforts to bring Prokarin into mainstream medicine.
DeLack’s compound is not without controversy, and the efficacy of using Prokarin to relieve fatigue among people with MS has been the focus of much debate.
Part D forum
Kootenai Medical Center and the Idaho Commission on Aging will offer a free forum on Medicare Part D on Thursday at the hospital’s Health Resource Center Fox Auditorium.
John Albee, of the commission, will speak at 6:30 p.m. about how to compare plans based on cost, coverage and convenience.
Register by calling KMC’s Educational Services at (208) 666-2030.
Skin cancer screening
Kootenai Medical Center’s North Idaho Cancer Center is offering free skin cancer screening on April 29.
Dermatologists, oncologists and nurse practitioners will be on hand from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to check for suspicious spots that could be skin cancer lesions.
Anyone concerned about an unusual skin spot and who is uninsured or without a primary care provider may register by calling KMC’s outreach office at (208) 666-3828.