THURSDAY
S I N C E
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014
1 8 9 5
Vol. 119, Issue 142
105
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Remembering Seth
INCLUDING G.S.T.
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Children the focus of health and environment plan BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
Improving health in Greater Trail and protecting the environment, begins with the communities’ youngest members. Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs was the first to sign the “It Starts with the Kids!” document at the Trail Area Health & Environment Committee (THEC) meeting Tuesday evening. The 61-page resource is not legally binding but is considered a living document which means it’s dynamic and can be updated as the issues surrounding life in an industrial community evolve along with technologies and research. Now called the Trail Area Health and Environment Program (THEP) the renewed collaboration between community stakeholders is in it’s third edition. This time, the scope is broader, the approach more inclusive, and it acknowledges the most recent advances in scientific research on lead. “This program also explores the broader opportunities for enhancing childhood development,” wrote Bogs in the document’s forward. “A child’s early development is dependent on many factors,” he continued, adding that communities should do more to support children and families during the critical years when capacity to succeed and
SHERI REGNIER PHOTO
As one of his final duties as the long-serving chair of the Trail Area Health and Environment Committee, Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs signed off on a renewed community program Tuesday evening. thrive is being determined. “Here’s where Trail can show the way,” he added. The program’s new plan outlines how children’s lead exposure can be prevented and how levels of lead in the environment can be furthered reduced. “We have an enthusiastic core
community group, including THEC, keen to champion this vision of a community that cares for its kids and supports the families that nurture them.” The community-led program focuses on THEC’s mission to create a healthy environment with five key components that
include family health, healthy homes, property development (includes soil remediation) community greening and air quality. The document includes detailed histories of children’s blood levels in Trail, which have decreased significantly since the installation of the KIVCET smelt-
er in 1997. This fall, the testing will continue during blood level clinics organized through the Interior Health Family Health program. To date, 229 children aged between six months and three years have been invited to be tested. Additionally, an “Ages and Stages Day” is slated for Oct. 8 at the Kiro Wellness, which is an event that houses many of the area’s childhood developmental resources under one roof. Since 1989 Bogs has been a THEC member, and served 17 of those years as committee chair. He is one of 16 signatories on the renewed collaboration between the area’s stakeholders who have a combined interest and dedication to promoting a healthy environment. “I’m very pleased that we managed to finalize the wording of this document that in itself was a major challenge with a document of this magnitude and complexity,” he said to the meeting’s full house that included members from Teck Trail Operations, the BC Ministry of Environment, Interior Health, Warfield, and the community-at large. “Any time you have a number of ministries, companies and the community involved it’s difficult to come up with words that everyone is pleased with, so well done.”
Paws for a Cause raises awareness BY LIZ BEVAN Times Staff
Dogs and their owners will be putting their paws to the pavement this weekend to help their furry friends in need. On Saturday, the annual BC SPCA Paws for a Cause fundraiser is taking place at Birchbank Park and Danielle Jackman, manager of the Trail branch of the SPCA, says the event is going raise money and awareness for the shelter and even give your pets a day out in the park with friends. “It is about raising funds for homeless, abused and neglected animals,” she said. “We try to advocate and prevent (abuse of animals). We also find that it is really good for dog socialization. There aren't
SPORT,
very many opportunities to do that with so many dogs (in one spot).” Jackman says animal abuse isn't a huge issue in the Trail area, but there are a few cases that require intervention from the SPCA. “We mostly have minor things that can be resolved with education,” she said. “We just try and get out there and let people know the needs of their animals such as food, water and shelter. Even if it is a major case, we always start with education to see if we can resolve the situation first, but unfortunately, there are other situations where we have to step in further.” Funds raised at this weekend's Paws for a Cause event will not only go towards education on animal needs, but will also
RECREATION
go towards shelter operations and community presence. “All funds raised locally will stay local,” said Jackman. “It is a big benefit for the animals in our community and it not only will help animals, but will help provide for the programs that we offer.” Those public programs include spaying and neutering, food banks and presentations in schools. “If we get a litter of kittens in, we can offer to spay or neuter the adult cats,” explained Jackman. “(The money) helps anytime we are in the community.” The Saturday afternoon event is going to be filled with activities for both dogs and families including demonstrations in See TRICKS, Page 3
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LIZ BEVAN PHOTO
Sarah Fulcher, of Barks and Recreation poses with Boomer who was recently adopted from the Trail SPCA.
Sept 17th 5-7:30pm Trail Memorial Gymnasium Sponsored by
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