King George completes long-awaited playground, receives $15k Mosaic Food Grant

King George Elementary School has finally completed their playground project, which took years of fundraising by the volunteers on the School Community Council (SCC), and received a $15,000 grant from the Mosaic Company at around the same time.

“Credit for this playground really needs to go to the parents and the staff of King George, because the fundraising we did as the SCC only happened because they participated,” said Rachelle Grado, the SCC president. “Whether that was through monetary contributions, or volunteerism, or just spending their time.”

The playground fundraising was a major undertaking — the price tag for the equipment and landscaping was around $30,000. The SCC did a cost-sharing arrangement with Prairie South School Division, and were able this year to finish raising their half.

“Anything that can support outdoor activities, or where kids can play more, is just so vital,” Grado said. “And this is an area with a lot of kids. There’s a lot of schools around, and playgrounds, but this yard gets used a lot because it’s so central, and we have lots of options.”

“It’s been sheer joy, and not just from the kids,” said Jill Tressel, principal of

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Mosaic School Nutrition Challenge grant of $15,000.

“We were super excited to receive the [Mosaic School Nutrition Challenge] grant,” Tressel said. “We put in an application, again thinking about our student wellness, and the conversation was around ensuring all students have access to healthy breakfast items or a snack.

“We’re a very full school — which is great — so there isn’t a lot of space to do something like a breakfast program, so we did some creative problem solving around possibly setting up individual stations in each classroom.”

The Mosaic School Nutrition Challenge is a provincial contest organized by the Saskatchewan School Boards Association that “encourages grassroots initiatives to promote student nutrition and healthier school environments through nutrition-re- lated activities and programming.”

Tressel said the grant would enable King George School to install mini fridges in each classroom next year. Older students at the school will be involved in menu planning, restocking, budgeting, inventory tracking, and possibly even grocery shopping for the fridges, giving them another learning practical learning opportunity.

“We’ll have some fresh fruit options, items like granola bars, we might look at being able to make toast, and we’ll change it up so the kids stay interested,” Tressel added.

“This way, students will have access to a snack or breakfast item when they need it, and not just at an assigned, before-school time. We can’t wait to see if that helps with learning, as well as attention and overall wellness.”

King George School. “I mean, the kids are loving it, but the parents, too. And after hours, things don’t stop here. If you were to drive by, you’d think we were holding activities every day, so this is not just for our students, but the whole community.”

The playground’s completion was a happy announcement, followed quickly by another one — King George School is one of ten schools in the province to receive a

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It is such an honour for the City of Moose Jaw and the Events Centre to be able to host the Para Hockey Championships this week. I certainly hope we all work to make a lasting impression on our guests from around the world by welcoming them and showing them Saskatchewan friendly hospitality.

I also greatly admire the players as they have exceeded beyond their physical impairment and have overcome many challenges to continue to excel in the sport’s arena. They are players with heart and optimism, and a dedicated commitment to the sport.

Although I do not participate in the level of sports I did when I was younger, I certainly tout the benefits of staying active and participation. As a person ages, we need to find a good fit for our lifestyle and continue to engage in activities that we are able to perform. Although I have golfed for many years and may not have seen much improvement in skill, I can certainly say the love for the sport has increased with age. It’s always been an opportunity to enjoy the sun and fresh air, the exercise and the social arena of the sport.

On the Statistics Canada website at https:// www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-595-m/2008060/ s12-eng.htm, they list the top four most important benefits Canadian’s believe they receive from participating in sports:

· “Overall, men and women attributed higher levels of importance to relaxation and physical health and fitness and lower levels of importance to sense of achievement, family activity, and making new friends and acquaintances.

· “Sport participation encourages team building, social interaction and the bonding of all those involved. This is thought to have relevance to the concept of community identity and social cohesion.

· “To most Canadians, sport participation is a road map to good health and longevity, although they consider nutrition and moderation in such personal habits as drinking as also important. Some see sport as a way to control weight.

· “…sport participation may also be linked to increased life satisfaction. Active participants in sports tend to be physically fit and healthy. They tend to feel better about themselves and therefore may be more satisfied with their lives generally.”

Participating in sports also helps to build leadership skills. Belonging to a sport’s team gives a person an opportunity to be around competitive people and role models, and learn from them both. You have an opportunity to demonstrate your own leadership through becoming a team captain and with your own skills to help improve your team’s success.

The take-away from all of this is to get involved, find a sport that suits you and your lifestyle and then reap the benefits to a healthier, happier you! You won’t be disappointed!

And to all the teams participating in the Worlds Para Hockey Championship, wishing you all a wonderful stay, satisfaction in your sport, safe travels home and all the best!

To our community, take some time to get out and go to a game or two, support this great opportunity to enjoy a world-class event and this special opportunity granted to our city.