"International Women's Day is an occasion marked by women's  
  groups around the world.  This date is also commemorated at the  
  United Nations and is designated in my countries as a national
  holiday. When women on all continents, often divided by national
  boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political
  differences, come together to celebrate their Day, they can look
  back to a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle
  for equality, justics, peace and development.
      "International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as 
  makers of history; it is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women
  to participate in society on an equal footing with men.
      "The idea of an International Women's Day first arose at the turn
  of the century, which in the industrialized world was a period of e
  expansion and turbulence, booming population growth and radical
  ideologies."
                                                excerpt taken from www.un.org

International Women's Day was first marked in 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than a million men and women collectively gathered at rallies.  In addition to the right to vote, they championed for the right to work, to obtain training and to end discrimination in the workplace.

On this day, celebrate the women in your life, acknowledge the rights we have earned, and advocate for a future without violence and discrimination.

The Infant Development Program and the Public Health Unit will be hosting a Two Year Old Fair in Valemount on Weds., February 15th.  The focus of this year's Fair is on speech and fine motor skill development, with an eye towards ensuring your child is ready for pre-school and kindergarten.

The Fair will be taking place at the Valemount Children's Activity Centre (daycare).  Appointments are required and can be booked with the Public Health office.  Contact them at 250-566-9138, local #228, to arrange for a time.

This six-week parenting program focuses on building on parents' strengths.  The content is parent-focused and designed with the parents to meet their specific needs.  Weekly classes are starting Friday, January 20th at the McBride Health Unit.

This program provides a safe and supportive place for the sharing of ideas and building a network with other parents.

It is FREE to participate and childcare is available.  The group is open to Moms and Dads with children of any age. 

To register, contact Beth or Jen at 250-569-2266.

As we move forward into this new year, we are excited with all the changes and plans ahead of us.  We look forward to continuing to provide you with quality programs and services with a high degree of professionalism.

All the best in 2012!

Merry Christmas to our clients,families, communities, and supporters.  On behalf of our staff, may your season be safe, happy, and filled with all the wonder of the season.

Best wishes, everyone!

Seasons greetings!  Just to let you know that both office locations will be closed for some of the time over the Christmas holidays.

McBride - closed December 26, 27, and 30th.  Open on December 28 and 29 from 10:00 - 2:00 for Employment Service clients.  Stepping Stones Children's Centre will be closed for the full week.

Valemount - closed for the week of December 26 to December 30.

Both offices will reopen for regular business hours on Monday, January 2nd.

Happy Holidays everyone.  May the love of family and the laughter of friends bring joy to you this holiday season.

Hello and welcome!  Keep an eye on this page to see what we are doing, what events we are hosting, and what information you need to know in order to participate and get involved.

THE WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN
Take time to honour the women in your life by wearing a white ribbon on December 6th.  This date marks the National Day of Rememberance and Action On Violence Against Women.  In 1989, 14 women were killed at L'Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, QC, simply because they were women.