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August, 2007
Wellmark Foundation Grant Awarded
The Indigenous Diabetes Education Alliance (IDEA) was recently awarded a mini grant from the Wellmark Foundation in the amount of $8,500 to conduct a monthly series of diabetes prevention education presentations to Native American after-school programs in Rapid City. The purpose of the project is to educate youth on the importance of nutrition, exercise and making healthy lifestyle choices. The Wellmark Foundation offers small grants for projects that support one or more of four funding priority areas including depression, diabetes, end of life care and health literacy.
According to Project Director, Susan Ricci, IDEA will also distribute buffalo meat snacks to the after school programs to encourage the children to choose a traditional high protein food source instead of high calorie sugary snacks. IDEA will also produce an educational diabetes newsletter geared specifically for youth. The newsletter will contain kid-friendly stories and activities about diet and exercise; healthy snack ideas; easy traditional recipes and suggestions on how to cope with a family member who has diabetes.
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August, 2007
South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Awards Grant
The Indigenous Diabetes Education Alliance (IDEA) has been awarded a grant in the amount of $3,300 from the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks Wildlife Diversity Small Grants Program. The purpose of the grant is to provide native wildlife field trips to after school programs in Rapid City. The field trips actually take place at a small buffalo ranch just outside of Rapid City where the children will learn about native plant and animal species from wildlife biologists and game wardens. They will learn how fish and game technicians track mountain lions, trap swift fox and other animal species, what plants the buffalo eat, how prairie dogs communicate with one another and many more wildlife facts. Recently, IDEA hosted its first field trip to thirty girls from Girls, Inc. of Rapid City. Three more field trips are being scheduled for fall and spring.IDEA Director, Susan Ricci, says “we want youth to learn that the prairie is not a vast wasteland of grasses but a wealth of habitat for dozens of species, both plant and animal alike. This is an ideal opportunity for kids to learn about wildlife in a controlled setting”. |
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