SKC's Community Health and Developmental Department announces April events

PABLO — The SKC Community Health and Development Department (CHD) is gearing up for their spring and summer activities, beginning with community meetings. The first community meeting will be in Elmo at the Senior Housing on Monday, April 2 beginning at 5:30 p.m.; in St. Ignatius at the Community Center on Tuesday, April 3 at 5:30 p.m.; and in Pablo in the Lefthand Conference Room downstairs in the old complex building on Thursday, April 5 at 5:30 pm. Anita Dupuis, CHD Director, and staff invite interested people to come for a light, healthy meal; a short video of last year's Traditional Living Challenge (TLC) encampment; and information about how you can be a part of what's going on, including weekly hikes for exercise and plant identification, ancestral skills workshops/classes/apprenticeships, and at least two more TLC encampments. People can also find out about other CHD Programs, like the CDC Diabetes Prevention Project and the prevention of toddler obesity and tooth decay (PTOTS) study. Both TLC and PTOTS are research projects funded by the National Institutes Health's Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. All CHD programs are aimed at finding ways to increase the health and wellbeing of the tribal community by designing them in partnership with the community to come up with culturally based appropriate ways.

There is also a Tribal Community Health Screening and Survey on Tuesday, April 24 at The People's Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This survey will help access the level of risk for heart disease in the native population of the tribal community. "To do that," Anita said, "we are to get a random sample of 210 people between the ages of 12 and 55 who will consent to have a finger stick blood test for blood sugar and cholesterol." (Absolutely no blood will be kept or stored.) They will also have their blood pressure taken and height, weight, and percent of body fat recorded. She added, "All measures will be strictly confidential; and for the study to continue it is important that people consent to being part of a random sample."

Dupuis says watch for a letter in the mail. People who respond to the letter (sent out randomly) and consent to be a part of the community sampling, will receive a gas voucher. Friends and family are welcome to come along for the activities. We will be drying meat and other healthy snacks will be available. There will also be prize drawings, and Tim Ryan will be on hand to demonstrate his ancestral skills technologies and to interview potential apprentices who would like to study with him (and others) to learn these skills. For more information, call the CHD Department at 275-2862 or 2864.

CHD Meetings

Elmo
Monday, April 2
Senior Housing
5:30 PM

St. Ignatius
Tuesday, April 3
Community Center
5:30 PM

Pablo
Thursday, April 5
Lefthand Conference room Old Tribal Complex
5:30 PM

CHD Tribal Community Health Screening and Survey
Tuesday, April 24
The People's Center
8 AM - 5 PM