Boys and Girls Club donates “steps” to MMAD
By Michael Meuers
Red Lake Public Relations
The Red Lake Nation Boys and Girls Club donated 5 million steps to the Million Miles Against Diabetes (MMAD) initiative on Tuesday April 28, 2009 at the club in Red Lake. The steps, donated by several of the boys and girls, was accepted by Rob Blue, Community Health Educator at Red Lake Comp Health on behalf of the MMAD Program. Blue is also the Red Lake Nation Boys and Girls Club board treasurer.
“The five million steps translates into nearly 2500 miles”, said Blue. The MMAD initiative was started in the mid-1990’s by Red Lake Comp Health and the Red Lake Tribal Council in response the near epidemic situation of diabetes prevalence on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The point is to demonstrate how exercise and proper diet can reduce the occasion of diabetes or lessen it’s impact. Blue said the total miles for MMAD as of January 1, 2009 is 407,683.
“In July 2008, the Boys and Girls Club took on the walking challenge of three miles per day”, said Victoria White, the Health and Lifestyles Coordinator for the Red Lake. “The kids all got pedometers and started to walk”, said White. “The kids and some staff began walking around the nearby pow-wow grounds and baseball fields”, she said, “and during cold weather and winter we would walk around the gym for 25 laps.”
Before and after the daily walking, Victoria has the kids do what she calls animal stretches e.g. reach up high like a giraffe for flexibility. “We try to do a thorough program that includes exercise, stretching, and a healthy lifestyle as well as community service”, said White. In addition to being the Health and Lifestyles coordinator, White works with the boys and girls with a primary program called T.R.A.I.L.
T.R.A.I.L. (Together Raising Awareness for Indian Life): is a twelve session program that provides youth with an understanding of healthy lifestyles in order to prevent diabetes. The program also emphasizes the importance of teamwork and community service. Participants apply decision-making and goal setting skills, engage in service projects to improve healthy lifestyles in their communities. Community and family members participate in activities with the elementary aged Club members.
“Donating steps to MMAD is appropriate as kids are showing border line diabetes signs,” said White. “The kids have changed a lot, and they have fun doing it. They compete for prizes and recognition, keep track of their accomplishments and earn prizes, a friendly competition if you will”, concluded White.
White herself has gotten much out of the daily walking as she has lost sixty pounds in the ten months the program has been in operation. “The job has been pretty good for me, and hopefully for the kids as well”, said White. |
