A program in Carstairs aimed at helping children cope with loss or their parents divorce recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The Carstairs Rainbows program has been kept low on the radar for many years but officials said it's time to let the community know the program exists.
“We've been quietly working away for the last 10 years and we started with like 20 kids and last year we had about 45 kids go through the program,” said program coordinator Lorna Richmond.
“We just thought it was time to let the community know that we have this great program going on and that we should actually celebrate that we have this in our community.”
She said surrounding communities have tried to run similar programs but they haven't been successful.
“We're actually the only community that runs this in the area,” she said.
A celebration was recently held at Hugh Sutherland School, which included cake and a performance by a motivational magician.
The program helps children deal with death, divorce or separation and the majority of them in the program are dealing with divorce or separation, she said.
“It's to give them a safe place to know that they can be heard, what they say is confidential and they've got other peers going through similar things,” she said.
“It's just to let them know that they do have a voice and that what they think does matter and just to help them with some self-esteem going through the whole anxiety of divorce or separation.”
The program runs during the lunch hour at Hugh Sutherland School and Carstairs Elementary School.
And because of the increased interest in the program, last year officials decided to form a preschool group called Sunbeams and an adult group called Reflections. Both programs are run out of the Carstairs United Church.
“We're looking forward to another good year with getting people to interact and realize that they are not alone,” she said. “Because there's a lot of people with the same kind of problems.”
She has been involved with the program from the get go and says it was established to provide children with a voice and a safe place to talk about what they're going through.
She is thankful for the children and the parents who participate in the program.
Lorna Richmondprogram coordinator
"It's to give them a safe place to know that they can be heard, what they say is confidential and they've got other peers going through similar things."
