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On Friday June 9, the Stardale Women’s Group accepted recognition for 20 years of designing and offering programming initiatives for Aboriginal women and girls.
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Lois Mitchell, the honorary patron of Prairie Action Foundation: Supporting Solutions to Violence and Abuse, presented Stardale with the Youth Leadership Award, which comes with a cheque and certificate for the work they have achieved.
Mitchell spoke about the importance of being non –judgemental, having compassion for others, to develop the creative side, and to carrying on.
The girls were especially taken by Mitchell’s gentle manner and interest in each of them, said Helen McPhaden, Stardale’s executive director. The girls asked many questions, McPhaden continued.
“It was a joyous day with lots of smiles.”
Stardale offers an educational footprint for Indigenous girls in Calgary and area. It incorporates a prevention model of life skills and literacy, helping with school projects and building upon creative outward expression in the arts to address abuse, stress and violence. At this point, there are 38 girls in the program.