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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-07-28, Page 3News Seaforth Red Hat Chicks want to prove that women over 5o have fu By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff Wearing red hats and purple clothing, 14 local women met in Victoria Park last Wednesday, not to start a fashion trend, but to prove that life can still be fun after 50. As member of the newly formed Seaforth Red Hat Chicks, a branch of the popular women's movement, the group insists all they want to do is have fun. "We're just hoping to go out and have a good time. That's all we're hoping for and to get all these wild women off the street," said Angeline Swart, who teamed up with Eleanor Maloney to start the group. On Wednesday, the women travelled to Bayfield, for their first meeting as a group. The 14 women went out for lunch and went shopping. Last year, at a home show in Exeter, the duo found a booth selling red hats to members of the Red Hat Society. The women at the booth were telling Swart and Maloney how much fun they were having as part of the society. "On the way home we thought that we should start that in Seaforth," said Swart. After several organizational meetings at a local coffee shop, the group began to grow with more women becoming interested every day. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, July 28, 20043 Jason Middleton photo From left, Lenore Peck, Rita Kelly, Lucy Jones, Angeline Swart and Eleanor Maloney are five of the 14 members of the new Seaforth Red Hat Society, which had their first meeting last Wednesday. Maloney says that right now there are about 20 women in the group. "It's just a group of senior ladies that want to go out for fun," said Swart. "In Seaforth there is a terrible amount of ladies who are left by themselves after their husbands have died," said Maloney. She explained that a majority of women in the group are without their husbands. "We kind of felt that it was nice that we had so much in common," said Maloney. The Red Hat Society was started a few years ago in the U.S. by a women who purchased a bright red fedora from a thrift store. than 20 countries. A year after buying the hat Following society's rules, the women read the poem the Seaforth Red Hat Chicks "Warning" by Jenny Joseph, decided that women aged 60 which depicts an older to 65 would get to wear red woman in purple clothing hats with pink clothing while with a red hat. women over 65 would wear The poem reads, "When 1 red hats with purple clothing. am an old woman I shall wear The group wants to meet purple, with a red hat which on the third Wednesday of doesn't go and doesn't suit every month so they can go me." out and "Just to go out and The woman then gave a red have fun," the group says. hat and a copy of the poem to If you are interested in a close friend who began joining, call Eleanor Maloney doing the same for her at 527-0093. friends. Since then the Red Hat Society has grown around the world and has 25.000 chapters with more than 600,000 members in more Seaforth TS group aims to support dieters By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Because they've tried lots of different diets and want to "take off sensibly." two local women are starting the first TOPS support group in Seaforth. Yvonne Leis, of Seaforth and Brenda Nyveld, of RR4 Walton were considering travelling out of town to join a TOPS support group when they came up with the idea of starting one of their own. "We thought it would be nice to have it close to home. We know how to lose weight - we just want the support," says Leis. "This kind of support group can help make a permanent change in your life," says Nyveld. With five members so far, the two are hoping to attract as many people as possible to benefit from the group. TOPS is a non-profit weight loss support group, founded in 1948, which has 230,000 members worldwide. Membership is $25 a year, which pays for a TOPS magazine filled with inspirational stories, recipes pounds groups. Members' eating and exercise programs are determined in cooperation their family physician, is asked to provide an official starting weight for the confidential weekly weigh -ins. While meetings involve sharing information about recipes, eating • out, handling stress, dieting at social with who Quoted 'This kind of support group can help make a permanent change in your life,' -- Brenda Nyveld, of the Seaforth TOPS group engagements and how to motivate yourself. the women hope that friendships will be formed to allow members to get together to exercise and go on walks. "It won't matter if there's 10 or 50 people as long as we're supporting each other," says Leis. Nyveld says the TOPS philosophy is about following the Canada Food Guide, exercising and eating in moderation. "It's something you can live with forever," she says. "It's going to work for us and it will work for anyone who's determined to make a change." Meetings arc held at First Presbyterian Church in Seaforth on Tuesdays with a 6:30 p.m. weigh-in and a 7 Interested participants can call Yvonne at 527-2503 or Brenda at 527-1798. Wrought Iron Cast Aluminum ..t Wicker Rattan Cushions 3 r Umbrellas t: } Chair Covers Indoor Bar Stools„ j Manufacturers since 1979 DECORATE OUTDOORS 35,000 sq. ft of Outdoor Furniture GRAND BEND 238-2110 Hwy1/oE.<2R. cadre> www�l'� VM,t IIIN M CiteNstiits SUPER SALE All items cash & carry GREAT SAVINGS Saturday from 8.5 pm This Weekend Only at Your Local [61011q./AAT1 Serving Southwestern Ontario Since 1956 LONDON WATFORD TILLSONI3URG MITCHELI. STRATHROV HURON PERTH HEALTHCARE ALLIANCE When it Comes To Protecting Your Assets.... Turn to the Professionals at GRAY INSURANCE BROKERS INC. ALLAN CA ER Specializing in Farm -- Commercial - Auto -- Home s NAIR STRUT, 8oum SEAFORTH, ON (519)027-2500 LTIILL iTOP Full Landscaping Services Available •Seeding & Sodding •Ponds •Tree Trimming •Flowerbed Design & Installation Retail Services •Lava Rock & Flagstone •Topsoil •Bulk Mulch - Cedar & Mixed Hardwood Call Murray at 522-2050 The Seaforth Medical Clinic announces the opening of an EXTRA WALK-IN CLINIC on Thursday evenings from 6:00-8:00 pm Starting on August 5th, 2004 The Thursday evening clinic will operate the same as the Tuesday evening clinic and will be on first come, first serve basis. The additional clinic is being set up to aecommodate the patients of Dr. Ken Rodney who is retiring at the end of July and Dr. Vince Tong who has relocated to another province. Huron Perth Hospitals Help Patients Meet The Challenge of Diabetes "Diabetes education is prevention." That's the motto that the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) Diabetes Education Centres stand by. According to Nancy Raymond, Diabetes Nurse -Educator, the complications of diabetes can be delayed or prevented with healthy lifestyle changes, regular medical care and by learning more about the condition. More than two million Canadians have diabetes with the number expected to rise to three million by the end of the decade. According to a 1999 study on the prevalence of diabetes by county, 5 per cent of the Perth County population or 2,905 people and 5.97 per cent of Huron County, 3,156 people have diabetes. It's a figure that's steadily increasing each year. To meet the needs of those with diabetes and their families, Huron -Perth Diabetes Education Centers (DECs) are located at each hospital in HPHA. These Centres have been in place since early 1998, and are funded in part by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and in part by the HPHA. Stratford General Hospital provides a full-time, Monday to Friday DEC, and weekly pro- grams are available in Clinton, St. Marys and Seaforth hospitals. "Learning to adapt and manage your diabetes involves life-long learning", says Ms. Raymond. Diabetes educators are there to work with clients to help ensure they get the best out of life. "A diabetes educator is someone who has the time to teach, listen, and to care," she explains. The benefits of teaming up with a Diabetes educator are many—decreased complications of diabetes, improved cardiovascular health, improved quality of life, reduced diabetes related stress, decreased costs to our overburdened health care system, decreased economic and health costs to the client/family. Programs are available for people with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance, and gestational diabetes. Stratford General Hospital site offers services for women with diabetes who are considering pregnancy, and an insulin pump program is available. Services include counselling and education on topics such as: healthful nutrition, behav- iour modification (to support healthy lifestyles and adaptation to diabetes), self blood glucose monitoring, insulin administration, foot care, staying healthy with diabetes, understanding food products/labels, heart healthy cooking, and under- standing cholesterol. Children and Teens with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can attend clinics at Stratford General Hospital site with the visiting Paediatric Diabetes Team from Children's Hospital of Western Ontario (CHWO). Diabetes educators include dietitians, nurses, social workers, physicians, phar- macists and other health care workers who are specially trained to teach people with diabetes. In HPHA, the diabetes educators include a Registered Nurse and a Registered Dietitian at each site, many of whom have earned advanced des- ignation as Certified Diabetes Educators. While the threat to both health and longevity is significant, the onset of type 2 diabetes may be prevented or delayed through healthy eating, increased activi- ty, weight loss, stress reduction and cessation of smoking. Studies show that people at risk were able to cut their risk by 58% by exercising for 30 minutes a day and by losing 5-7% of their body weight. For more local information, contact your Diabetes Education Centre. For addi- tional information on Diabetes, you can contact the Canadian Diabetes Association at 1-800- BANTING or www. diabetes.ca. The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA), a group of four rural hospi- tals in Southwestern Ontario (Clinton Public, St. Marys Memorial, Seaforth Community and Stratford General) was created to maintain and improve the quality of local healthcare services in the communities it serves. The HPHA is an Innovative patient and family focused healthcare system com- mitted to Quality, Unity, Integration, Leadership and Teamwork.