Wellness Champions

Meet the 2018 Wellness Champions

Meet Aisha Khederi. Aisha truly stands out in her workplace as a wellness leader and advocate for all staff. Aisha has been a member of the saint John area public health wellness committee for many years and has taken on the role of creating and circulating a wellness newsletter for staff members. The newsletter contains staff pictures, healthy recipes, stories and other messages related to wellness and well being. Aisha has also strived to engage staff members in physical activity by planning and facilitating wellness challenges several times throughout the year (i.e. – squat and plank challenges). Aisha is a fitness instructor at a local fitness center and is a trusted resource and mentor to other staff members who are working on incorporating physical activity into their daily routine. Aisha’s passion for wellness is a true asset to the workplace and she is very deserving of the wellness champion recognition.

Meet Chris Green from Top Corner.Top Corner is a free hockey program for children ages 8-12 designed to teach children in Saint John how to play Canada’s favorite sport – Hockey! Through a selection process, determined by financial and social needs, children are provided with certified coaching, full gear and an atmosphere of play and teamwork.

The program is divided into 2 tiers based on age. The goal is to train players up to a level where they can enter mainstream minor league hockey, which is also covered by Top Corner for their first year. This program is led entirely by volunteers who commit themselves to the program each week and it changes lives for the children. They have become part of the community and players/parents are on waiting lists to be part of this amazing program. Top corner fosters confidence and skills in the lives of many Saint John’s youth.

Meet Christine Gee-Drisdelle. Christine is clearly an example of resiliency. She is a proud mama of 4 kids which keeps her busy. Still, she chooses to return to her studies part time while working full time. She conquered her fears of the unknown to apply for a work position that was new in the community which meant she had to develop the programs. Christine is much appreciated by her colleagues and her community partners. They notice her readily smile. Christine also took her health in her hands. She decided to bring lots of changes and took on new life habits. Congrats Christine for your perseverance, your devotion towards your clients and your family, but mostly, your devotion towards yourself.

Meet Cindy Langille. Cindy is the president of the community garden at Shamrock Park. Cindy works hard to organize the garden, plan special events, and bring gardeners together. The number of hours that Cindy spends working on the garden is incredible. Her vision and dedication has been the main reason the garden has been so successful. Cindy is always willing to share her expertise with other gardeners.

Meet Community School Coordinators: Caitlin Corkum, Benjamin Gillcrist, Katherine Miller, Jennifer Brown, Jill Nylen, Abby Nice, Victoria Hogenbirk, Rebecca MacKay, Krista Turnbull. The ASD-S Community School Coordinators that Serve Saint John, Quispamsis & Rothesay work diligently to promote Wellness in their Schools and their respective communities and create a culture of physical, mental and emotional wellness in all their initiatives . These 9 individuals work with students, families and staff within schools from K-8 and over the past 11 years have been instrumental in bringing wellness to their schools and communities through initiatives such as community gardens, breakfast programs, lunch programs, healthy snacks, mentoring, self-esteem programs such as Go Girls, Got Game, parenting programs, cooking programs for students & families, afterschool programming - clubs & sports, enrichment programs, Roots of Empathy, Mother Goose, and the list goes on. These coordinators are the individuals who handle many of the logistics for these initiatives to happen , are the connector for volunteers, partners and outside agencies to come into our schools and are often the hands on people on the ground running with these programs. They work hard to create community awareness with our students and get them out into our community as much as possible and also are great encouragers for our community to be involved in our schools. There would be many missed wellness opportunities for our students without the work of our Community School Coordinators. They genuinely care about the students they work with , their colleagues and others. They lead by example and are respected by all. They are amazing and passionate about what they do and always put the wellness needs of the students and community above their own!

Meet Darlene Moore. Darlene is the Executive Director of Meals on Wheels, a not for profit organization that delivers nutritious meals to those that are in need of a meal service. After joining the FWN she immediately immersed herself in many of our community events. Always the first out of the gate to offer to assist at any function and often bringing along her husband (and a friend or two). Darlene is tireless when it comes to volunteering all on her own time! We wouldn't be able to deliver the excellent events that we (FWN) do with out volunteers such as Darlene!

Meet David Goss. David has dedicated so much of his time to the field of recreation and community development in the Greater Saint John area. Focusing on the history of Saint JohnDavid has been able to educate countless residents of where Saint John was and where it is going. David’s knowledge and experience has brought a strong sense of community pride. For over 40 years David has been an author, historian, recreation advocate and community leader.

Meet Dorothy Shepherd. What Dorothy does best is caring for the people in her community. Whether it has been serving the residents of Saint John- Lancaster, as their MLA, baking for local businesses to show her appreciation for what they do, or supporting our youth and seniors, Dorothy is always giving to others. She has a passion for children and has strongly and loudly, supported kinship arrangements for children living in vulnerable situations. She has been an advocate for our veterans and always seems to find time for everyone.
Another project of Dorothy's that she is so very proud of is the extensive work she has done to establish a research team and advocate for funding for primary health care services for long haul truck drivers. She understands the challenges this sector faces with travel away from home and the difficulties accessing primary health care. Her vision would see the establishment of clinics at high traffic truck stops in our Province, bringing the service directly to those working in this field. This is a huge accomplishment and a substantial portion of funding has already been promised with a bit remaining to see her project to fruition. Over the past Spring and Summer months Dorothy had a very personal battle with breast cancer. I was in absolute awe at her ability to persevere, to be so positive and to serve her constituents, even in the face of such a battle. No matter where you may find her, Dorothy is working so very hard to enhance the health and well being of the people around her.

Meet Erica Lane. Erica is a mom of 2 awesome boys age 17 and 20 who works for ASD-S. She is very active going to the gym, biking and until a recent knee problem a marathon runner. As part of her position at work she is responsible for organizing healthy lunches & activities. She volunteers at various community events, such as Canada Day events, Tall ships, breakfast programs and several others while also filling in as a lay minister at a local church. She is forever baking for her neighbors and has passed her empathy for others on to her boys who shovel snow and mow lawns for neighbors.

Meet Ernie Campbell. Ernie dedicates countless hours to building the sport of mountain biking in Saint John. He regularly works on the trail system mentoring new volunteers and promoting the physical, mental, and social aspects of getting into the woods, volunteering, and biking. He is a past president of the “Trail Miners” group and an invaluable member of the team that makes Rockwood Park trails environmentally sustainable for years to come.

Meet Gail Leadlay. Gail is the secretary of KV Domestic Violence Outreach, an organization that provides confidential support services for families or individuals living with domestic violence. She works tirelessly to promote healthy relationships and to ensure there are services available for women who have experienced intimate partner violence. Gail was instrumental in organizing KVDVO's major fundraiser in December hosted by James Mullinger. Gail is also on the Tanya Shand Memorial Milk and Cookie Run committee which supports women in need who have been victims of intimate partner violence.

Meet the GBW Age-Friendly Community Committee.The Grand Bay-Westfield Age Friendly Communities Committee was appointed in June 2017 by the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield. Since then they have gathered, reviewed, correlated and assessed data on Seniors in the 8 domains including Outdoor spaces and buildings, Transportation, Housing, Social participation, Respect and Social Inclusion, Civic Participation and Employment, Communication and information and Community support and Health Services. The AFC Committee created surveys, held focus groups and participated in regional workshops to prepare an action plan to apply to have Grand Bay-Westfield recognized as an Age Friendly Community. On June 5, 2018 the Province of New Brunswick approved the application and recognized the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield as an Age Friendly Community in the New Brunswick Age Friendly Recognition Program. The Members of the Grand Bay-Westfield Age Friendly Communities Committee are Jennifer Ryan, Karen Walsh, Mary Reeves, Lorraine Wills, Beverly Day, Ann Daigle, Leah Hatfield and project lead Rhoda Welshman.

Meet Grant Thornton Limited. Grant Thornton Limited is one of the largest bankruptcy, insolvency, and restructuring service firms in Canada. The Grant Thornton office in Saint John supports staff with a fitness allowance each year. They also support many community events such as running events, dragon boat races and the Grant Thornton Foundation walk.

Meet the Greater SJ Area 50+ Friendship Games Committee. The Organizing Committee for the 50+ Frienship Games volunteered countless hours starting in early September to plan the local games which take place the following June. The committee is a diverse group of individuals from the Greater Saint John Area that have a passion for getting seniors active and engaged. This past year there were over 200 participants taking part in 29 events at 24 venues. The games gave an opportunity for the local 50+ population to be active, socialize, make new friends and reconnect with old ones. There were 45 new participants this year and registrants came from St George to Hampton. Without this dedicated group the games would not happen.

Meet Holly Singh. Holly Singh came on board the lunch program at St John the Baptist King Edward School in 2013. Gerry Lowe showed her the kitchen at the school and this is when they put things in motion to raise funds for a new industrial kitchen. They raised $50, 000! The nutritious meals that come out of the school are fantastic, including salads, chicken fajitas, spaghetti etc.

Lunch Connection is a free lunch program that has been established to support the students of local schools in vulnerable neighbourhoods, where food insecurity is a daily struggle. These programs exist to provide a free hot meal at lunch time in a safe environment. Currently, there are a total of approximately 450 children in three different schools registered in the Lunch Connection hot lunch program and more than 45,000 meals are served each year to the youth of Saint John Inner City neighbourhoods!

Meet John Dobbin. John has been instrumental in the development of the sport of older adult hockey in the Town of Quispamsis. Since his initial role of providing leadership for the sport through the twice-a-week, year-round games began at the qplex a few years ago, John has helped numerous people become avid players who return each year primarily as a result of John’s ultimate goal – for all to enjoy themselves. He’s one of those unique people who always bring a smile out in others. He is referred to as “The Hinge” as a door will not work properly without one, noon-hour hockey wouldn’t work without John. On the ice John is known for his ever-present and top-shelf sportsmanship, for which he has never received a penalty. John's volunteering has also extended to all ages in the community through his skating during the public skate and involvement at various tournament events including the 55+ Canada Games and Telus Cup at the qplex. Certainly, John’s generosity, passion and leadership have helped develop the sport of hockey and skating for all ages in the Town of Quispamsis. Thank you John.

Meet Judy McDougall. Judy has been an active member of The Y for several years. She is friendly, helpful and is the greatest motivator and promoter for daily physical activity to her many friends and new members. She is always providing weight training assistance, friendly motivating talks, and training tips to members on an ongoing voluntary basis. She always takes the extra step to ensure new members are greeted with a friendly smile and ensures they are warmly welcomed and included in various social activities.
Judy is an annual volunteer for the Strong Kids campaign and helps manage the walk for Strong Kids in September. She is our Y’s “good will ambassador” . All of her volunteer activities, friendly assistance and daily good deeds help make the Y such a great place for so many people.

Meet Kelley McIntyre. Kelley has been an active volunteer in Quispamsis in many ways for many years. As co-founder of the Tanya Shand Memorial Milk & Cookie Run she has brought great awareness to intimate partner violence. Also during her spare time, she provides on-going support for victims and works on various fundraising projects for the Silent Witness Program and others. Certainly, it is a definite advantage to have Kelley as one of the volunteers of a community event. She not only brings a wealth of community knowledge and a keen work ethic but also the ability to treat people with the respect they deserve. Thank you Kelley, for your constant service to Quispamsis. Through whichever community event you are preparing for or attending, often with your family, your constant generosity is truly appreciated.

Meet Larry King from Lancaster Mall. Catt’s business was welcomed by Larry and his team after reaching out to him about hosting a free demonstration class in the Lancaster Mall. They were then invited to add a fitness and nutrition component to the Lancaster Mall's Bridal show in April. Lancaster Mall celebrated National Health & Fitness Day on June 2 in which they were invited to host a free Activity Course Challenge with the goal of keeping members of the community active for 30 minutes. On June 23rd, Lancaster Mall also hosted a free Dance-A-Thon at Lancaster Mall, encouraging community member to bust a move for Participaction Month. Larry and his team also put together a complimentary Lancaster Mall Day BBQ & Amusements in which they set up a Sports & Fitness Mini Expo. Larry does not only promote the lifestyle but also keeps active with fitness class and brings his wife and children to take part in each event. Larry has also volunteered his time in the dunk tank for Lancaster Mall Day.

Meet Linda Nickerson. Linda has been the volunteer executive director of the seniors’ resource center in Saint John for 26 years and during that time has provided countless seniors with valuable information, support and advice. She has organized many activities and events with the center and has been involved in many committees that advocate for seniors. Linda has given selflessly of her time and knowledge over the years and has been an inspiration to many!

Meet the Loch Lomond Villa Seniors Wellness Fair Team. Each year, Loch Lomond Villa hosts a seniors wellness fair. This year proved to be the most successful event to date. With 34 vendors, Delbert entertaining the group, a Hawaiian Aloha theme, and some healthy snacks, over 350 community members from the greater Saint John area attended the fair. The organizing committee was comprised of a variety of Loch Lomond Villa staff as well as Mark Harris from Alzheimer Society NB, and Diane O'Connor. The event would not be possible without the great support of the many volunteers who helped to set up and decorate. The group begins planning in January of the year and holds the event towards the end of May. The event would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the team.

Meet Mary Lou Harrison & Marian Goguen. Mary Lou Harrison and Marian Goguen are wellness champions because they truly stand out as wellness advocates and leaders in their community. Both Mary Lou and Marian have volunteered at the east side food bank for many years and have dedicated much time and energy towards improving the nutrition and access to food for individuals living in the east side community. Mary Lou and Marian have collaborated and learned from other food banks new and innovative ways to improve the food bank experience for clients. They have also strived to increase the amount of healthy options available to clients, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, by embracing and volunteering at the new east side community garden. The hard work and dedication demonstrated by Mary Lou and Marian make them a true asset to the community and very deserving of this wellness champion recognition.

Meet Mayor Nancy Grant. Mayor Grant has been a long time champion of Rothesay and all the activities that happen in the community that make it such a great place to live. You can see her at many events no matter the season or time of year and she enthusiastically supports many organizations that promote well-being and healthy living. She is active in supporting the Age Friendly Communities initiative and is a terrific cheerleader for promoting Rothesay as a wonderful place to live!

Meet PEER SJ. P.E.E.R. SJ is a comprehensive, culturally sensitive initiative for youth that promotes engagement and education in the areas of self-determination, life goals and positive relationships through collaborative, community partnerships. PEER SJ encourages anyone aged 16-25 experiencing mental health concerns, addictions, or other struggles to them. No referral is needed and there are no costs, people can just come on in!

P.E.E.R. SJ provides:
-Community -Housing
-Education & Employment -Peer Support
-Friends & Family

Meet Rob Landers & Simon Murphy. Rob Landers Physiotherapist & owner of ABC Physiotherapy & Simon Murphy Kineisiologist from ABC Physiotherapy have been great supporters of wellness in our schools and community. Just recently they partnered with the ASD-S and received a Jumpstart Grant through Canadian Tire for a program that they created called FitKids. This program ran out of 3 of our schools and ABC Physio freed up 2 of their staff on a weekly basis for 15 weeks to go into our schools to teach basic fitness, encourage physical activity and helped students become more active & meet fitness goals. Students confidently finished the program with fitness ideas that they could use in their own homes and communities. Rob & Simon have touched the lives of many people in our community, especially children. I have had the opportunity to watch Rob & Simon lend their time & talents at several of our schools and in our community and they always volunteer enthusiastically , willing to share their passion for wellness. They voluntarily coach basketball and volleyball teams within our schools and community . They have been actively involved in volunteering on a yearly basis at several School Field Days, modeling and organizing activities as well as encouraging children. They have planned innovative activities using technology for Wellness Week and they have provided leadership for special self-esteem and body image events. Rob & Simon have gone to several of our High Schools during career fairs to promote the occupation of Physiotherapy and to promote active lifestyles. Through his business of ABC Physiotherapy Rob mentors and supervises Physiotherapy students and High School Co-op students which provides a great service to our education system. During all of these events and initiatives , Rob & Simon are engaged, motivating, fun and 100% there for the kids. They take time out of their busy work day to voluntarily give back to our students because they understand the importance of Physical Activity and the relation it has to how our students feel about themselves both emotionally and physically."

Meet Robert "Bob" McIntyre. Bob has been a key individual in the celebration of Christmas in the Town of Quispamsis. Since he first volunteered at the Annual KV Santa Claus Parade several years ago Bob has provided his magical touch. Thousands of people continue to enjoy the very popular event and Bob’s contribution. In recent years Bob has also played a significant role at the Christmas lighting event at the Quispamsis Arts & Culture Park. The event opens the renowned Holiday Dreamland annual exhibit which is visited by thousands each year. Bob’s humble message to a friend captures his outlook “It is so much fun for me to be able to make children smile. I know that there are children that have come from difficult circumstances and it warms my heart to be able to put a smile on their faces, for even a moment.” Thank you Bob, for keeping the magic of Christmas in Quispamsis.

*Kelley McIntyre accepting on the behalf of Bob McIntyre

Meet The Church of the Resurrection (Play Park Project).The Play Park Project is a non-profit initiative, by The Church of the Resurrection, to provide the Town of Grand Bay –Westfield with an indoor play space for children. The Church of the Resurrection moved into its new building in the spring of 2009. At that time, half of the indoor building space remained unfinished due to financial constraints. Over the years, the church has worked with Town Officials, and Members of the Grand Bay-Westfield community to create a public space that will fill a genuine need in the community. The vision of the Play Park Project is to provide a safe, clean, fun, and affordable environment for families with children ages 0-12, that the whole community can enjoy. Rather than a drop off center, this space is intended for the entire family. Parents will be able to enjoy a hot beverage as they interact with their children and other families in the play space. Part of the vision for the play park project is to strengthen the community by providing a space for families to interact and develop friendships that will benefit their overall social well-being as well as provide a resource point for families. There is also great potential for community programs to hold information sessions and workshops in the planned community space. The team hopes to develop partnerships with Horizon Health, the Family Resource Centre, and/or the YMCA to use this community space to promote community health and well-being. The Team has raised over $300,000 the past several years towards the $650,000 goal and continues to seek out financial resources and come up with creative ways to raise funds

Members of the Play Park Project Team are Anna Caines, Rev. Michael Caines, Suzanne Toole, Sandra Morton, Keith Oliver, April Medford, Janet Leslie, Barbara Keir, Beth Jones, Michele Duplisea, Linda Peacock and Raye Ann Hayes.