Sundre Nutrition for Learning Society has new executive director

SUNDRE — Being concerned within the effort to make sure college students obtain the vitamin required to enhance their well being and training is close to and expensive to the Sundre Nutrition for Learning Society’s new government director.

“Before COVID hit, I did volunteer on the faculties to assist put together snacks,” stated Lana Saunders, who earlier in January stepped into the function held beforehand by Carla Valentine since 2008.  

Born and raised in Sundre, Saunders stated each of her youngsters are college students at River Valley School, and that she needed to play a component in offering wholesome snacks for them and all the children.

Along the way in which, she throughout her time as a volunteer got here to see how precious this system was at River Valley and known as the expertise eye opening.

“Just to see the truth of how a lot some children actually depend on Nutrition for Learning,” she stated. “It sort of hit me onerous that there are such a lot of youngsters that really do come to high school with out nutritious meals or a snack . . . you don’t notice it till you truly are there.”

So, having the ability to present college students at River Valley with snacks a few occasions per week felt like a worthwhile trigger that she remained dedicated to till ultimately stepping in because the society’s government director.

With a previous administrative background working her personal security consulting firm since 2005, Saunders stated she brings together with her a degree of expertise in bookkeeping. But she added there are new parts as effectively and that she’s nonetheless studying the ropes on the subject of for instance grants — not solely the appliance course of that includes diligently filling out paperwork, but in addition researching what sorts of funding applications can be found.

Saunders praised the inspiration laid by her predecessor, who established a superb system that she intends to keep up and with out reinventing the wheel maybe even add to the place potential.

“Carla has accomplished such a beautiful job over time that she’s made it fairly straightforward to date to step into the function,” she stated.

The new government director additionally brings together with her no scarcity of previous volunteer expertise with native boards and teams — the 2022 Gulf Island Sailing Trip board president, the River Valley guardian council board secretary, and a member at massive on the Sundre Rec Hockey board.

Still early on in her new function, Saunders stated her duties to date have primarily concerned getting a deal with on issues.

“You’re all the time studying one thing new once you get into a brand new place, and I stay up for that,” she stated, expressing gratitude not just for the chance to step right into a secure program, however particularly for the neighborhood’s assist that’s ensured this system’s continuity for greater than 20 years.

“It’s only a nice program to be concerned in,” stated Valentine, who after some 14 years with the group felt the time to show over a brand new leaf had come.

Additionally, bringing in any person new with recent concepts is all the time good, she stated, expressing full confidence in Saunders’ means to proceed steering the ship steadily ahead.

Not solely has this system managed to remain afloat from a monetary perspective, however the society was additionally capable of increase this system over time and even modify it as wanted on account of COVID-19, she stated.

With each of her youngsters having graduated from Sundre High School and now off chasing down different pursuits, Valentine stated it was “simply time to maneuver on and simplify life a bit of — as a lot as you probably can this present day.”

Now anticipating discovering herself with extra spare time, Valentine stated with fun that she seems to be ahead to doing “the issues I’ve needed to do for some time, now that the children are moved out.”

That may embody having fun with the possibility to mount up and experience her horse once more and take out the canine for a stroll within the night.

“It’s simply good to get exterior and again to nature and have that downtime,” she stated.



https://www.mountainviewtoday.ca/sundre-news/sundre-nutrition-for-learning-society-has-new-executive-director-4997911

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