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Make a pledge for change

“One Thing. Anything. It Begins with You” is the theme for this year’s Change Day campaign
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Today is Change Day, the final day make a public pledge to something that makes your life better in some way. More than 6,000 Albertans shared their pledge last year and the goal is to reach 10,000 pledges this year.

Alberta Health Services and several partner organizations have extended the invitation to healthcare providers and the public to make a public pledge. The goal of the invitation is to empower people to promote meaningful change.

The campaign has attracted over 170 teams ranging from schools to hospitals. The Office of the Auditor General has a team as well as many Shoppers Drug Mart stores.

Pledgers this year have made plenty of promises related health including taking the stairs more often, drinking more water, and exercising more. Other people posted about acts of service they plan to carry out. A nurse vowed to buy coffee for a tired parent. A Grade 3 student promised to cut her hair to raise funds for cancer research. A mother of a child with cancer publicly shared her commitment to helping other families facing a similar journey.

Pledgers have shared their stories of how the campaign has encouraged them to make subtle changes leading to a richer experience of life. Judy Galenza, a trainer with Alberta Health Services in Camrose posted her pledge to “think about at least one thing I am grateful for every day” as a response to the challenges she’s faced around her oldest sister being diagnosed with kidney cancer. Galenza and her sisters meet up regularly for a “Sister’s Weekend” to focus on “Counting Our Blessings” through writing, creating art and sharing with one another.

“I continue to be grateful every single day for the love and support my sisters give to each other so freely,” she shared on the Change Day website.

“We know our times together are about to forever change but we also know, ‘life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning to dance in the rain’,” she continued.

Change Day Alberta posted the following video to encourage people to share their commitment to change:

Albertan pledgers can make a commitment on their own or as part of a team. To get an idea for what people have pledged to do and make your own promise public, visit www.changedayab.ca.

A virtual celebration of the campaign that includes Ontario, B.C. and Alberta will be held online from 9 a.m 0 12:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (10 a.m 1:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time)



myra.nicks@sylvanlakenews.com

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