Posters
Youth Centre Space open for Bookings as a safe space for all ages
Family Literacy Programs – NOTE most of these programs are currently being offered online. In-person classes are suspended.
Greater Foothills Family Programs for December – Curiosity Kids, Messy Make and Take, Triple P Parenting and more.
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Vulcan Recreation Programs and Facilities Notice
Food Drive – Vulcan County Wide – Fire departments will come right to your house if you pre-book
Angel Tree for the Vulcan Regional Food Bank – Thank you to everyone who has adopted families and individuals for Christmas Hampers, almost all the tags on the tree at Vulcan Bell Park have been claimed.
Lomond Lions Food Drive at S&S Grocery Store
Holiday Train at Home Dec, 12 – The 22nd annual #CPHolidayTrain is back. And this year, its first—and only—stop is your home! Virtual concert via Facebook Live on December 12 at 6 MT to raise money for food banks across North America. Performances by Serena Ryder, The Trews, JoJo Mason, Logan Staats and Kelly Prescott.
Career and Employment Services – MCG Career Remote
Message from Vulcan Medical Clinic
Write to Santa – He’ll write back!
Champion Gingerbread Houses-
The Champion FCSS has a limited number of gingerbread house kits available! Once completed, they will be put on display at the
Champion Pioneer Club. Please message below, or call the Village Office (897-3833) if you’d like to kit!
Canada Benefit Programs
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Service Canada Outreach Brochure
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Free Virtual Nutrition Tour
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How Racism can affect Child Development
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Covid care kits
16th Annual Milo Family “Virtual” Christmas – December 1 – 31, 2020
Merry Christmas everyone! Since the Milo community can’t get together to have our annual Christmas celebration, I thought we could share our Christmas spirit online together! In a similar format to the Milo Facebook Fall Fair, below are categories to share our holiday pictures, videos and greetings to help lift everyone’s spirits. Add your photos/videos as comments to the discussions below.
1. Christmas Decorations – show us your indoor and outdoor decorations or lights. Try to outdo your neighbours!
2. Christmas Tree – let’s see who has the best looking tree this year! We put all the work into putting the tree up, we might as well share our work.
3. Holiday Greetings – share your family photos and well wishes with the Milo Community.
4. Food – yes, my favourite! Show off your Christmas baking, cooking and goodies!
5. Humorous – share what made you laugh this season. That holiday baking flop? The horribly wrapped present? The cat in the Christmas tree? Whatever made you chuckle, we would love to laugh with you (or at you ;-))!
Christmas Shopping
Some local Black Friday sales will be happening all week in Vulcan.
Milo Library has some local vendors and artisans’ items available in December.
Arrowwood Library has a shop local market available all December.
SABC had to cancel their Christmas Market but a vendor parade is planned check out their Facebook page for info. They also have truckloads of firewood for sale.
Resources
Family Ties Association Clinical team can provide subsidized counselling to Vulcan County residents. This service is available through Zoom. If you do not have computer and internet access, an office at FCSS can be booked at 403-485-2192. Call Family Ties and ask to speak to Clinical Intake 403-320-8888.
Mental Health & Wellness
Beverley Edwards Self referrals welcome.
Provides counselling for children ages 6 and over, adolescents, adults and seniors.
Phone for an intake appointment. 403-485-3356
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Vulcan Community Health Centre
Al-Anon Family Group—meetings as needed. Contact Betty W. at 403-652-8285 for information.
Calgary’s Child Magazine always has some great articles and fun activity ideas.
https://www.calgaryschild.com/
Read about the survey results from The Covid-19 Parent Stress and Resilience Survey was assembled to learn about the experiences of parents and families in the Lethbridge area as they respond to the ongoing realities of Covid-19. This survey is a follow-up to the initial Covid-19 Isolation Parent Survey Building Brains Together conducted in the spring of 2020. The data from this survey is being used to make recommendations regarding supports and services during the ongoing pandemic and in future crisis situations. Although the data was collected in Lethbridge, there are likely similar concerns in your communities.
Tips for the Month
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- Be forgiving. Of yourself and others. People are short, saying things they wouldn’t normally say, are quicker to upset, maybe more withdrawn, sensitive or more defensive. Remember that even when things look okay on the surface, adults and children are dealing with the added stress from the pandemic on top of whatever else they would normally be dealing with. Whether it is financial stress, loss of activities, added work, no work, Christmas pressures, feeling confined at home and especially being separated from our social connections and supports, people have up and down moments that do not define them. Rather than responding to someone’s negativity with your own anger, take a cool down period and imagine that they are having a hard day and come back with compassion rather than anger. Grant yourself that same compassion too. Learn about Ambiguous loss at www.psychologytoday.com/
- Make the effort to do something you love (that is still on the approved list). Drop whatever you are doing and go outside for a walk while there is a beautiful sunset. Book the arena for skating or find a swimming pool taking private bookings. Enjoy some pet therapy if you have an animal. Play a silly board game with your family, make it mandatory even for the ones who think they’re too cool. Create a playlist of light and cheerful songs. Do something artistic. Make some food that that feeds your soul and savour it slowly. Ask your spouse to keep the kids busy for an hour or two so you can have some alone time. Return the favour.
- Do a project. Tackling and finishing a project can give you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that is worth the work. Just be honest with yourself. Don’t take on more than you can handle. If you can trade in a bit of screen time to finish a job that has been hanging over your head you will feel lighter when it is done. December’s project might just be Christmas. And remember, if it is overwhelming already, you don’t have to invite the Elf on a Shelf back. He might be too busy working overtime in the Elf Covid Recovery Centre!
- Limit screen time, exercise and eat healthy. All the things we know we should be doing. They are still true during a pandemic and still true at Christmas time! If you eat lots of vegetables and have a balanced diet, it will fuel your mind and body and help you fight sickness. Exercise helps you feel better physically and mentally. If you attend to your mental health you are more likely to eat healthy and exercise. If you have too much screen time you are more likely to eat poorly, exercise less and feel worse mentally. Start with small goals and challenge yourself to improving one good habit at a time. Start a positive cycle today.
Participaction
December can be a cold, busy month – but making time to move your body is KEY to combating stress and being at your best. We invite you to take our annual 12 Days of Fitmas Challenge – where every day from December 1st to 12th we will provide an activity that contributes to your overall health and wellness (like moving more, reducing screen time, and drinking more water). It’s that simple. You’ll see how a little effort can go a long way into helping you move a bit more each day. #EverythingGetsBetter #StayActiveStayHealthy #12DaysOfFitmas
THE VULCAN PALLIATIVE CARE COMMITTEE
Will be accepting donations to decorate for The TREE of HOPE
Your $10 donation can be made at the Vulcan Hospital front desk in memory of your loved one that has passed away. A decoration with your loved one’s name will be added to the tree. All money raised stays in our county and is used to assist families with palliative needs.
Don’t forget about other local charities on Giving Tuesday:
Rainbow Literacy and Learning Society
Vulcan County Health and Wellness Foundation
Kidsport – Town of Vulcan Recreation
Vulcan Regional Food Bank Society
Rowan House Emergency Shelter
Vulcan Lions Club Recreation Fund
Vulcan Healthcare Auxillary
Vulcan Daycare Society
Vulcan and District Historical Society
Local Churches who do amazing charitable work all year.
A little laugh for the Day:
-I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.
-Yesterday I ate a clock. It was very time consuming. Especially when I went back for seconds.
– My doctor just informed me that I have color-blindness. It came out of the purple.
-I was selling my dirtbike and the buyer asked, “How low can you go?” I replied, “Well not less than 2kmph or you will tip over!”
-I asked my 91-year-old father, “Dad, what were your good old days?” His thoughtful reply: “When I wasn’t good, and I wasn’t old.”
-A woman in labour suddenly shouted, “Shouldn’t! Wouldn’t! Couldn’t! Didn’t! Can’t!” “Don’t worry,” said the doctor. “Those are just contractions.”
-There is a new movie coming out called “Constipation.”
-Really?
It is waiting to be released.
-What do you call a parade of rabbits hopping backwards?
A receding hare-line.
There are traditions and festivals all over the world in the wintertime which are centered around lighting up the darkness – local firework, electric light, candle procession and lantern festivals, and (of course) Hanukah, Diwali and Christmas, to name only a few. Embrace the season of light this year and make the most of putting up your lights and decorations if it brings you joy, or just walk or drive around in the evening to enjoy the lights others have put into their displays. Just like spring and summer when people covered windows and sidewalks with encouraging messages, let the light bring some cheer during a difficult year. At home use some of the candles sitting in drawers, make mood lighting during dinner, or bundle up to enjoy a backyard fire pit time.
“It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes, or bags!”
He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before.
Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!”
So, this Christmas let’s show that Grinch! Let’s light up the town!
Regardless of where you live, anywhere in the world. Put up some lights. If you’re in an apartment light up your balcony, if you own a business light it up. If you’re up the meadow on a farm light up the barn. Decorate your house, yard, whatever you have! Put them up early and leave them up later. We can go for a walk or a drive after dinner and see the bright lights of Christmas!”