Foster Grandparent Program Hosts In-Service Training

Every month, participants in the Foster Grandparents Program gather to attend a required in-service.

In-services are geared to better prepare the volunteers to serve with children in area elementary schools, pre-elementary sites, Teenage Education and Motherhood and Head Start programs or provide information about personal development and growth. The Foster Grandparent Program staff aspires to make the workshops not only informative, but fun.

March's in-services brought Iris Ruiz of Cornell Cooperative Extension, who spoke about better nutrition and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program. The program has been administered by Cornell since 1969. The goal is "to assist low-income families and youth in acquiring knowledge, skills, attitudes, and change behaviors necessary for nutritionally sound diets to contribute to personal development and improvement of the total family diet and nutritional well-being." Classes encourage families to eat more fruits and vegetables, drink fewer sweetened drinks, how to maintain a healthy weight, be more physically active and saving money on food. The class offered hands-on, interactive series for our adult Foster Grandparents to share with the students they serve.

Every attendee was given a stretching band to explore. Ruiz demonstrated how to use the band for optimal stretches for both your upper and lower extremities. As she showed correct form for the exercises, laughter abound as many Foster Grandparents snapped their bans while attempting to exercise.

Concluding the presentation, Ruiz prepared a healthy snack to share with the gathering -- yogurt, granola, and fruit.

The Lutheran Foster Grandparent Program is sponsored locally by Lutheran. The Foster Grandparent Program is part of Senior Corps, a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency for volunteering, service, and civic engagement. For more information, visit NationalService.gov or call the office at 665-5354.