Raising Awareness for Local Prostate Cancer Support Group IPCSG

Posted on 04/06/2014 by Vincent Alvarez

SupportA cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming for anyone, especially if a person has no support.

Today with all the options for prostae cancer treatments it’s nice that the local San Diego 501c 3 non-profit organization “Informed Prostate Cancer Support Group (IPCSG)” is available to provide support and guideance.

The group is comprised of men and women, survivors, newly diagnosed, and people who want more information about Prostate Cancer and options for treating this disease.

“IPCSG holds monthly informative lectures utilizing many experts in the field of prostate cancer treatments, provides a monthly newsletter and is a place to connect and get support from those living with this disease.

We encourage donations to keep this community service available to us.

Visit their website, Informed Prostate Cancer Support Group, to donate and to learn more about who they are and their next meeting.

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Getting back to Nature – A visit to the TreeHouse Farm

Posted on 11/20/2011 by Vincent Alvarez
Laura Pawlak

Dr Pawlak harvesting tomatoes for the days lunch

“We all need to get back to nature”, advises Laura Pawlak, Ph.D, author, scientist, speaker, and founder of the non-profit organization Serenity Stay in Elgin, Arizona. “I strongly believe that well-being requires the rediscovery of nature”, she continued.

We are excited to feature Dr. Pawlak on AQLife for all her dedication and commitment to giving back to our community.   She has inspired us with her kindness, generosity and compassion.

For the past 7 years she has been transforming a baron 22 acre landscape into the TreeHouse farm which has now come alive with horses and other farm animals, vegetable and fruit gardens, and many outdoor activities bringing people back to nature.

TreeHouse Farm

Dramatic Sky at the TreeHouse Farm, Elgin Arizona

Serenity Stay is a 501(c)(3), a non profit organization, created with the sole purpose of supporting the growing number of equine assisted learning and healing opportunities offered on the TreeHouse farm.  Serenity Stay has formed a partnership with Beads of Courage, a nonprofit organization providing arts-in-medicine supportive care programs for children coping with serious illness, their families, and the health care providers who care for them.

I was thrilled when Dr. Pawlak invited my family and I out to spend a few days on the farm.  It was a magical and serene experience. The landscapes were breathtaking and the farm was filled with exciting and new experiences.  It was healing to participate in feeding the animals and helping out around the farm.

My favorite part was harvesting the vegetables from the garden and taking them directly to the kitchen to make our meal.   The 2,600 square foot home she built for her guests had an amazing kitchen stocked with all the necessary items to create a masterpiece healthy meal.

William Richard Kunk, who is the Activity Coordinator and Project Manager for the TreeHouse Farm, has been instrumental in implementing Dr. Pawlak’s vision.  His experience and talent were obvious as she showed me the many projects he completed throughout the Farm.  My favorite is the Green House Gardens.  It’s filled with lush edible vegetables, a beautiful pond and a sitting area where people can gather and enjoy nature.

Children love the animals on the farm

Children love the animals on the farm

Living on the farm for the few short days reconnected me back to nature and reminded me of the powerful healing effects nature has on us.  I was renewed with peace and my spirit was lifted.

Dr. Pawlak invites everyone to come home to nature by visiting them to experience the lift in your mind, spirit, and personal relationships.

Please visit Serenity Stay to learn more.

Serenity Stay does not have any government financial assistance and relies solely on private donations.  Make a donation to support the wide variety of nature inspired programs as well as the on-going care for the loving animals.

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Healthy Eating is Fun-Getting Kids to Eat Healthier

Posted on 09/28/2011 by Vincent Alvarez
Julie Batulevitz, RD

Julie Batulevitz, RD preparing for the "Healthy Eating is Fun" booth

Healthy Eating is Fun was the theme for the AQLife booth at this year’s MROF Lemon Run event September 25, 2011 at Miramar Lake.  The event raised money for childhood cancer research.  

 Registered Dietitian Julie Batulevitz promoted healthy eating by showing the kids a fun way to eat their fruits and veggies.  She had them make Funny Face Sandwiches using the fruits and veggies they like.  

Here are other tips Julie promoted:  

Have regular family meals
Knowing dinner is served at approximately the same time every night and that the entire family will be sitting down together is comforting and enhances appetite. Breakfast is another great time for a family meal, especially since kids who eat tend to do better in school.  

Cook more meals at home
Eating home cooked meals is healthier for the whole family and sets a great example for kids about the importance of food. Restaurant meals tend to have more fat, sugar, and salt. Save dining out for special occasions.  

Get kids involved
Children enjoy helping adults grocery shop, selecting what goes in their lunch box, and preparing dinner. It’s also a chance for you to teach them about the nutritional values of different foods, and (for older children) how to read food labels.  

Make a variety of healthy snacks available
Instead of empty calorie snacks keep plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain snacks, and healthy beverages (water, milk, pure fruit juice) around. Keep them easily accessible so kids become used to reaching for healthy snacks instead of empty calorie snacks like soda, chips, or cookies.  

Making Funny Face Sandwich

Making a Healthy Funny Face Sandwich at the AQLife "Healthy Eating is Fun" booth. September 2011, MROF Lemon Run

Limit portion sizes
Don’t insist your child clean the plate, and never use food as a reward or bribe.

    


Posted in Helping Our Community, Staying Fit | 1 Comment

AQLife continues to Raise Funds and Awareness for our Featured Non-Profits Throughout the Year.

Posted on 09/06/2011 by Cyndi Kalbaugh

Dreams for Change Donation Presentation

AQLife continues to work towards raising awareness and funds for our featured non-profits throughout the year.  Recently we were able to secure an additional monetary donation for Dreams For Change by using our corporate volunteer networks.  While we work hard to stay active and give back to our communities we may also use our professional networks to deepen awareness for these incredible nonprofits.

Dreams for Change is a San Diego nonprofit providing homeless families and individuals living in their cars the Safe Parking Program which gives them the safe environment needed to rest, access resources and work towards stabilization. Achieving Financial Independence, our financial literacy program provides the education needed to move forward with long term self-sufficiency by teaching the fundamentals of budgeting, credit use and repair while building savings and assets. Not stopping there, we are moving forward with finding ways to improve our process, using thoughtful discussion and collaboration to bring forth new programs, and utilizing new and innovative ways of thinking to bring about the changes needed to make our community a better place for everyone.

AQLife looks forward to continuing to partner with Dreams For Change as we all work towards making our communities a more cohesive city for all to enjoy.

Our Current Featured Non Profit is Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

We are supporting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation and Max’s Ring of Fire in a 4.6 mile walk/run around Lake Miramar in San Diego, CA on September 25th, 2011 from 8:00am-11:00am.  These incredible non-profits were started by the parents of two children who lost their battle with childhood cancer. Please join us in raising awareness and funds by joining our AQLife Team for this walk/run by clicking on the link… http://www.alexslemonade.org/mypage/75176 If you are unable to participate any donation would be greatly appreciated towards this incredible cause.

Thank you all for your continued dedication to both fitness and our communities.

Cyndi Kalbaugh

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MROF Lemon Run Training, AFC training, Picnic..July 30th

Posted on 08/09/2011 by Vincent Alvarez

MROF Lemon and AFC trainingOn July 30th PeakFinders Training put together 2 free training sessions at Miramar Lake all ending in a fun picnic at the end. 

The first training session launched about 7am led by Chris Heslin with most of the runners completing 13 or 14 miles in preparation for the upcoming America’s Finest City (AFC) half marathon to take place later this month.

I led the second group which was a 50 minute walk jog training in preparation for the upcoming Max’s Ring of Fire (MROF) Lemon Run to take place September 25 at Miramar Lake.  

Both AQLife and PeakFinders Training are in full support of the MROF Lemon Run and are looking for participants for the race.  It’s a 4.6 mile walk or run around beautiful Miramar Lake benefiting childhood cancer research.  To learn more please visit MROF Lemon Run.  Make a Donation on behalf of our team led by Cyndi Kalbaugh.

Also visit PeakFinders Training to learn more about upcoming training sessions.

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