North Algona Wilberforce Township is hosting a rural outreach program for Elevate Youth Wellness called Live It Up. Elevate Youth Wellness, located in the Phoenix Centre in Pembroke, is devoted to helping the mental, physical and emotional health of youth through life skills mentorship, particularly through fitness and healthy food. “Up until now, we have focused our work on downtown Pembroke. This grant collaboration with North Algona Wilberforce Township will allow us to expand our current successful programs into rural communities, starting with Live It Up,” says Laurie Johnson, Executive Director of Elevate Youth Wellness.
Elevate Youth Wellness offers drop-in programming for youth in downtown Pembroke that provides a safe and welcoming environment, friendship, life skills, and quality after-school programming. “The program model has been built over the last several years with the help of volunteers, contractors, and community supporters and fundraisers,” says NAWT Special Projects Coordinator Cameron Montgomery. “They are a great partner to bring this kind of special programming to North Algona Wilberforce Township.” Elevate Youth Wellness Centre is run and sponsored by volunteers and community champions. It was founded as a volunteer organization in memory of local youth health and wellness advocate Krista Johnson.
The activities will be the first community programming offered at the Township’s newly renovated Lake Dore Lodge, nestled in the corner of Melissa Bishop Park on Lake Dore. The Lodge is owned by the municipality and with the renovations offers an inspected community kitchen, wheelchair accessible washrooms, an activity hall, lounge, and access to the public beach, park, and boat launch. The Township is providing the activity hall for the Live It Up rural outreach programming. “This kind of partnership is exactly what we hoped for with the exciting renovations at Lake Dore Lodge. We hope many more community groups reach out to utilize this great new community space,” says Mayor James Brose.
Live It Up Rural Outreach Program’s first event will be a skating party on Golden Lake at the Warm Hearts Winter Festival organized by Golden Lake Property Owners Association and North Algona Wilberforce Township on March 17th. Future planned activities March-June include yoga, cooking classes, sourdough bread making, and wool-working including sheep shearing, spinning, knitting and felting. Contact Special Projects Coordinator Cameron Montgomery at the Township office to sign up.
Montgomery,C.,Township of North Algona Wilberforce(2023,Mar.2) North Algona Wilberforce Township hosts Live It Up rural outreach program for Elevate Youth Wellness [media release]
