Kicking off Stampede with a hearty breakfast

Times Contributor 

 

The Siksika Health & Wellness Centre hosted their annual Stampede Kick-off Breakfast this past Thursday, July 5.

They have held the breakfast for a number of years “longer than I’ve been here, and I’ve been here for nine years,” added Sandra Sparvier, the Healthy Promotion Liaison for the Siksika Health & Wellness Centre.

“The last six years I have been organizing it with the head dietician. We organize it with herself, myself, and the fire chief (Tom Little Chief),” said Sparvier.

Beginning at an early six a.m., the Siksika fire department began prep work for the breakfast. The Health & Wellness Centre offered enough food to fill over 650 plates.

“This year was 600, last year was 500, the year before that it was 300. I didn’t do much advertising for this one here, I just put a notice in the newsletter. I didn’t put any posters up, I didn’t email anybody, I just wanted to see if it was word of mouth and how it would go, and look at the crowd,” said Sparvier.

Chief Fred Rabbit Carrier remembered the early stages and stated that the event had really grown.

“It’s always a function we look forward to every year and it’s put on about the same time, it really brings out the spirit for the Stampede. It’s such a beautiful day today, and the feeling of closeness, for us it’s a gathering you don’t quite get to see so often but unfortunately these things are out of our control, but it is a good feeling to meet with people and converse with others, like grandparents, cousins,” said Rabbit Carrier.

Other events throughout the morning included face painting, horseback riding, a two step competition for four tickets to the Stampede chuck wagon finals, live music from Richard Running Rabbit whom Janice Doore, The Chief and Council of the Siksika Health & Wellness Centre, described as being “a role model for our community.”

From having such an event each year, Sparvier said the Siksika Health & Wellness Centre’s goal is to promote healthy eating.

“That’s why we had fruit and yogurt, we tried to get all of the protein and carbohydrates. We only do a certain amount of pancakes, if we run out, we run out, but we make sure we have our fruits, everyone else does bacon and sausage, the ham is a healthier choice, it’s as high in sodium as bacon and sausage but it’s less greasy and a lot leaner,” said Sparvier.

Sparvier also mentioned that the Health & Wellness Centre is now offering a program to Siksika youth which teaches kids how to eat to eat healthy and how to properly exercise.

“We advertise in our newsletter for them to contact their physicians and get the physician to contact the community health nurse. We also have a diabetic educator, because aboriginals have a high incidence of diabetes,” said Sparvier.

The Siksika Health & Wellness Centre offer numerous services. The centre carries a newly installed ultrasound system, has a top of the line x-ray lab, they offer breast mammogram exams twice a year and retinography eye exams for people with diabetes, to name a few. The centre has a dedicated staff who work towards better health outcomes for the community of Siksika.

“We’re considered in Canada as a model for being able to provide, we have different partnerships, like with the University of Calgary where they have their nurses come in, and there is so much activity. We work with surrounding areas and people are coming in more and more,” said Doore.