A Diamond Valley organization is being recognized for its efforts to ramp up fitness and nutrition in the region this fall.
The Town of Black Diamond was presented with Community ChooseWell’s Creating Supportive Environments Award. The award recognized the High Country Wellness Coalition’s efforts to improve health and fitness in the region, particularly for establishing a fitness park in Black Diamond and providing citizens another opportunity to access healthy food through its Incredible Edibles program.
“We are really proud of the work that we’ve done in the community for the community,” said Linda Nelson, chairperson of the High Country Wellness Coalition. “We don’t do it for the recognition, but certainly every time we are recognized our name is out there. It’s certainly nice to be recognized.”
The High Country Wellness Coalition is a not-for profit organization consisting of citizens devoted to promoting health and wellness in the Diamond Valley area.
Nelson applied for the award with an emphasis on the new Legacy Fitness Park beside the Oilfields Regional Arena and the Incredible Edibles healthy food program that offers boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables, complete with recipes, to citizens at an affordable price at Country Food Mart AG Foods in Black Diamond.
However, there are many more programs run by the group.
“We’ve done a lot of different projects – mom and me fitness program, middle-aged movement program, wellness health education and nutrition program for seniors,” she said. “What we try to do is listen to the community and based on needs initiate programs and help them to become self-sufficient.
“We partner and network with a lot of different organizations like the (Foothills) Children’s Wellness Network and Youth With a Mission.”
Nelson said the coalition partnered with the Town of Black Diamond, which donated land for the fitness park. The $63,000 needed to purchase and install the 10 pieces of equipment was supplied through donations and volunteer work.
Nelson added the coalition distributes swag and information provided by Communities ChooseWell at various events to further educate residents about healthy eating and living.
“They are behind a lot of the organized activities in the province for health and wellness and try to keep us informed of what’s happening and we, in turn, as a coalition try to make sure that their material gets to the appropriate people,” she said. “We always have the best interests of the communities at heart.”
Lisa McLaughlin, Communities ChooseWell’s program manager, said she was impressed with Nelson’s application and felt the High Country Wellness Coalition’s efforts fit the mandate of the award perfectly.
“It’s just great to see the creativity and passion and the motivation that communities like Black Diamond (and Turner Valley) have to try to make their communities healthier places for their residents,” she said.
“We’re trying to recognize communities that are putting in efforts to make it easier for residents to participate in healthy living choices. They really exemplify the qualities of what this award is all about.”
McLaughlin said a good example of that is the Legacy Fitness Park in Black Diamond.
“They had recently put in an outdoor fitness park with a focus on trying to increase access to affordable exercise options in the community,” she said.
“They are doing a lot. Just the fact they have a coalition in place with eight to 10 different partnerships for such a small town, they are really doing wonderful things, which is fantastic.”
Black Diamond Mayor Sharlene Brown said she is proud of the efforts made by the wellness coalition toward improving health and wellness.
“Anytime that we have those types of accolades that come from community members and our volunteers… it just makes you so proud that you’re part of a community where people build things together and it’s just absolutely fantastic,” she said.
“We have a lot of groups that utilize the pathways and the fitness park. It’s that healthy community lifestyle. The more that we are able to create is a good thing.”
The High Country Wellness Coalition received a plaque for the Creating Supportive Environments Award at the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association’s annual conference in Jasper earlier this fall.
