Good money management can help you build a house or pay for an education. Poor financial planning limits your family's choices. This column focuses on setting up children's bank accounts and allowances. Included is advice from one of our local experts — bank manager Jason Storey. You will also learn how the provincial government offers free grants to set up RESPs.

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According to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, 30 per cent of boys and 24 per cent of girls were considered to be overweight.

The average Canadian child spends more than 26 hours watching television and up to 30 hours sitting in school each week.

Exercise and eat right — parents and guardians know we should encourage our children to avoid junk food and limit their TV time. But are we good examples? We get all stressed out with work and life and find ourselves on the couch, watching TV, eating frozen pizza.

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Strathcona County's charities have many jobs that can only be filled by volunteers. How can you help a youth who needs a positive adult role model? What can you do to offer safe affordable housing for families in need?

There is the obvious answer of cash. If you can afford it, you should give money. According to one charity director, charities are facing a reduction of 30 to 50 per cent in donations this year, while the demands for some services have doubled.

What if you do not have extra money? To really show you care, do not just give money; give your time.

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"I'm bored. There is nothing to do in Strathcona County." I used to hear this lot as a parent of two teens. Since moving to Strathcona County five years ago, I decided to do something about it. As a former Boys and Girls Club director, a natural choice was to join the board of the Strathcona Boys and Girls Club.....read more

Youth who are members of the Boys and Girls Club of Strathcona County have a new building where they can participate in the kid-oriented programs.

A ribbon cutting was held late Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the opening of the new Children and Youth Community Centre on Spruce Avenue, about a block from Sherwood Heights school, Pine Street elementary and Our Lady of Perpetual Help school.

Chuck Van Deel Piepers, president of the Boys and Girls Club of Strathcona County, said the new building, owned by the Robin Hood Association, effectively doubles the area the local Boys and Girls Club had at its old location. Read More.

The Boys and Girls Club of Strathcona County will be receiving a grant of up to $40,000 from RBC. The announcement was made by RBC earlier this month.

According to Tyler Roed, program co-ordinator for the local Boys and Girls Club, this is the third consecutive year RBC will be providing funding.

Previously, the club received approximately $40,000 and $32,000 Roed said.

“Canadians realize that after-school programs are crucial in keeping kids safe, inspiring them to learn and helping to alleviate some pressures for working families,” said RBC’s vice-president of Corporate Citizenship. She is also the executive director of the RBC Foundation.