Milk ... it does the body good

Grade 4 E.W. Norman student Adrian Iserhoff (9yrs) gets a cold carton of milk from North Bay Skyhawks Defence man Mac Koopmans.

Over the past four years the Student Nutrition Program, in partnership with the North Bay Skyhawks, has been visiting schools with breakfast clubs in the city and surrounding areas to emphasis the important role milk plays in the students’ development.

Program Co-ordinator Shelly Price says the Community Living North Bay is the lead agency and the Skyhawks organisation generously donates the milk to the kids. With playoff season quickly approaching the programmed wrapped up this week with a visit to E.W. Norman PS Tuesday.

“The Skyhawks come out and hand milk out to the kids and talk to them about the importance of drinking milk and eating breakfast and being healthy.”

“Having a regular diet is very important in life and with the student nutrition program and the schools that are running it we have close to 80 schools in Nipissing, Parry Sound, and Muskoka there are breakfast programs and our morning meal programs,” she explains.

“The schools follow really strict guidelines set out by the province they have to have something from three different food groups one of those has to be fruit and vegetables, a grain and a dairy, and a portion sizes that have to be served. They are very stringent guidelines and the people that run these programs are really dedicated to the children and to their nutrition.”

Price says the program has become a vital part of the participating schools morning routines and that they are receiving positive feedback from teachers and principals who note great changes in the children’s learning habits and behaviour because they are eating so well.

Price says the Skyhawks are great part of the program and serve as good role models because the kids want to hear what the players have to say.

“It helps a lot the young kids look up to these guys ... they all drink milk. I remember one player was telling the kids I drank an entire bag of milk this morning so you guys really need to drink you milk.”

The visit always wraps up with a mutual love in during an autograph signing session following breakfast.