Recreation Programming

Financial literacy sessions

Financial literacy is important! It equips us with the information needed to be better with our finances and make informed decisions around how we manage our money. Whether you are experienced at budgeting, or brand new to understanding finances, these courses provide important tools and information to help anyone improve how they manage their finances. The following Financial Literacy Sessions are free of charge. Pre-registration is required. 

• Lousana Community Hall -Register
  Wednesday, January 20
  10 a.m. - noon
• Benalto Family Resource Centre -Register
  Tuesday, January 26
  6 - 8 p.m.
• Springbrook Family Resource Centre -Register
  Wednesday, February 10
  6 - 8 p.m.

RED DEER COUNTY’S “ACTIVE TOGETHER” FREE VIDEO CLASSES

Let’s kick COVID-19 together by keeping active, healthy and connected while maintaining the guidelines for physical distancing. Browse through our online videos, which include fitness, meditation, yoga, qigong, art, baking and more! All classes are instructed by local teachers and residents. 

• 3 Part Meditation Series (Instructor MacKenzie Miller, with MacKenzie Miller Yoga) - Simple meditation videos that can be done in a comfortable seated position on a chair or couch. These 3 videos explore meditation that is relaxing, restorative and energizing.
            Part 1 - Body Scan Meditation
            Part 2 - Loving Kindness Meditation
            Part 3 - Mindfulness Building Meditation
• Guitar Basics Part 2 (Instructor: Steve Arsenault) 
• Guitar Basics Part 1 (Instructor: Steve Arsenault) - Do you have a guitar around the house that you’ve always wanted to learn, but have never managed to find the time?  Well, this is the perfect time to try it out then, with local guitar instructor Steve Arsenault.  Follow along as he shows you the basics of guitar, and some few beginner chords and strum patterns.  Keep an eye out for video 2 in the coming days to learn some songs you can play around the campfire (or backyard fire)! 
• Puff Paint Craft (Instructors: Anna & Mary) - Follow along as Anna and her daughter Mary show you a fun, creative way to paint by making “puff paint”! You will need some food colouring, white liquid glue, and shaving cream.
• Unicorn Cooking (Instructor: Savannah) - Follow along with local youth Savannah as she shows you how to make a healthy, nutritious smoothie. Savannah takes after her mom, who is Benalto FCSS worker Angie, with her nutritious and delicious cooking skills! Ingredients used: frozen berries, bee pollen, powdered peanut butter, banana and water, but feel free to mix up your smoothie how you’d like! 
• Painting Tutorial (Instructor: Katie) - Check out Red Deer County staff member Katie Lamboo as she gives a tutorial on how to paint some beautiful flowers using acrylic paint!
• Stretch Along with Tammy - Take a few moments to reward your body with a guided stretch. You will feel great afterwards!
• Yoga for Kids/Beginners Yoga (Instructor: Stephanie) - Follow along with instructor Stephanie as she guides you through some fun, beginner animal & nature poses, while also easing anxiety and stress. This class is intended for children ages 5-14, but anyone wanting to try it can give it a whirl!
• Intermediate Cartooning (Instructor: Blair) - Follow along in this slightly more advanced cartooning tutorial with local cartoonist, Blair Thorson.
• Family Fitness (Instructor: Tammy) - Join instructor Tammy for this fun, energetic class that gets everyone in the family moving! Shake out the Easter dinner sluggishness with this short, easy workout (short, because let’s face it, we all know someone in your family is going to lose their focus and attention after 10 minutes of trying to do something together as a family!).
• Seated Yoga Instructor: Miranda) - Calm your mind and re-energize your body with this yoga practice from Miranda that’s suitable for all abilities!
• Story Time with Angie - Angie, FCSS District Worker for Benalto, reads "Ada Twist, Scientist".
• Cooking Lesson - Japanese Gyoza (Instructor: Yoshinara & Jenna) - Follow along as Jenna and Yoshi, local Red Deer County Search and Rescue volunteers, teach you how to make traditional Japanese gyoza (pork dumplings) from scratch. Though the ingredients are reviewed in the video, the list of ingredients to buy is: 2 packages ground pork (about 1 kg), 1 head of cabbage, 1 bunch of green onions, 1 package fresh chives, fresh ginger, 1 head of garlic, sesame oil, soya sauce, sake (optional), salt and pepper, and dumpling wrappers (or wonton wrappers if you can’t find dumplings wrappers).
• Intermediate Cartooning (Instructor: Blair) - In this video, you’ll learn how to draw a fox as local cartoonist Blair Thorson guides you through a tutorial on drawing.
• HIIT Fitness Class (Instructor: Tammy) - This high intensity interval training class will get your heart rate up and put a smile on your face as you sweat out the toxins and burn the calories from all the home baking you’ve been indulging in. A great class to kick your metabolism into gear before the Easter meals this weekend!
• Shibashi-Qigong Part 2 (Instructor: Stephanie) - If you’ve already watched and completed the first half of this sequence that is posted below, then you’re ready to learn the next half. Qigong is a fantastic way to get your body moving and blood flowing while also helping you focus your mind and restore your energy.
• Older Adult Fitness Class (Instructor: Tammy) - Join in on this fun class that’s sure to get your heart rate up and blood flowing! While this class is intended for older adults, people of all ages can join in and still get their workout at home in!
• Easy Cartooning (Instructor: Blair) - Learn how to draw some simple, easy cartoons with local cartoonist Blair Thorson. This particular video is ideal for young children, but anyone who wants to learn to draw can follow along as well. 
• Standing Yoga (Instructor: Miranda) - This gentle, mindful yoga class is great for everyone! It will help you to find balance, perhaps ease some anxiety you may be experiencing during these times, and help you just focus on yourself for a few moments today.
• Shibashi-qigong (Instructor: Stephanie) - A healing art similar to Tai Chi that combines movement, breathing and meditation for relaxation and fitness. Perfect for aging adults, new practitioners and people interested in trying something new. Qigong Shibashi is simply a different pattern to the movements, to give participants some variety to their practice.