News and event information for Williams Lake, BC - as it happens.

By LeRae Haynes

Dieticians of Canada BC Region recently released a report called ‘The Cost of Eating in BC 2011’ which indicates that a family of four on income assistance in BC would have to spend 47% of its income to buy the minimum amount of food needed to remain healthy.

The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is informing the public that if they have consumed Pomeberry Blend frozen berries manufactured by Western Family in the past 14 days they may be eligible to receive a dose of hepatitis A vaccine.

The overall risk to the public is very low. If people have consumed uncooked Pomeberry Blend frozen fruit within the past 14 days and have not previously received two doses of hepatitis A vaccine or had hepatitis A disease they are eligible to receive hepatitis A vaccine. For further details on how to obtain the vaccine people should contact their local public health unit.

The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is warning the public not to consume Pomeberry Blend frozen berries manufactured by Western Family because it may be linked to the hepatitis A virus.

The BCCDC and regional health authorities are investigating eight cases of hepatitis A that have occurred over the past two months in BC. Five out of eight of these cases are known to have consumed the Pomeberry product and an investigation is ongoing. This product has been distributed through Save-On-Foods and Overwaitea.

While there is no direct link yet, as a precaution, anyone who has the Pomeberry Blend product in their refrigerator or freezer is advised not to consume it, and to discard it. This blend contains frozen pomegranate seeds, blueberries, strawberries and cherries. No other frozen berry products from Western Family are a concern at this time.

By LeRae Haynes

When the BC government announced that funding would be cut to Crisis Lines, resulting in a single call centre for the whole province, the Cariboo Chilcotin branch of Canadian Mental Health took a stand. The Williams Lake Crisis Line had been in operation for many years, with long-term dedicated volunteers taking after-hours shifts to help ensure that, when someone needed help, they had someone to call.

By LeRae Haynes

The province announced last week that it will ban commercial tanning bed use by young people under the age of 18 to reduce the chances of developing skin cancer later in life. Lush Beauty Boutique co-owner Reenie Sharp said that health and beauty go hand in hand, and that tanning regularly before you’re 18 can cause more damage to your skin later on.

The community is invited to celebrate spring on Sunday, April 1st at the Annual Nutrition Fun Walk and Run. This free 5km event starts at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex at 11:00am and travels gently through the residential neighbourhoods of the city.

(Photo and information submitted by City of Williams Lake Recreation Services)

By LeRae Haynes

Interior Health states that March is Nutrition Month--a time to ‘bust common food and nutrition myths and reveal the facts.’ They say that nutrition information has never been more accessible than right now: that millions of Canadians head to the internet when they have questions about nutrition, but not all the information they read is credible.

(Interior Health says that it’s a myth that the best way to limit sodium intake is to stop using the salt shaker.)

By LeRae Haynes

The Sikh Temple on Mackenzie Avenue hosted a recent Diabetes workshop in Williams Lake—one that not only taught the importance of preventing and managing diabetes, but also taught participants to be advocates and leaders in their community.

By Danya Keeley

Fran could not sit still.  Her daughter Carlie had phoned sounding very upset.  She told Fran she really needed to come over.  “Yes, of course, honey”, Fran told her.

However, Fran found herself nervously puttering around the house while she waited for Carlie’s arrival.  She felt very anxious regarding what her daughter might want to talk to her about.

For the past five years most of the talks consisted of blame, accusations and anger leveled at Fran.  Carlie seemed to hold her mother responsible for all disappointments, failures and lost opportunities she’d experienced in her life.

(Original artwork by Danya Keeley)

By LeRae Haynes

Two landmark workshops took place in Williams Lake this week at the Western Singh Sabha Temple on Pine Avenue and at the Sikh Temple on Mackenzie Avenue.

(Participants said that the workshop taught leadership and advocacy as well as providing health information.)