https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKGDHbgUg9k

On Tuesday morning (August 27), approximately 15 members of Cochrane Fire Services, Cochrane EMS, and Municipal Enforcement were treated to free health services as part of a kindness movement.

West Valley Chiropractic Centre is one of five businesses who support the 'Scatter Kindness Cochrane' movement which promotes kindness initiatives and encourages others to do the same.

Wanting to promote the concept, Doctors Amanda Tulk and Aaron Todd of West Valley Chiropractic decided to put together a team of professionals to treat members of Protective Services as a way to thank them and keep them in optimal health. "These services provide so much to our community, and with their busy lives, we thought it would be valuable to come in and share a little bit about what we do which in turn will hopefully help them do their job better and provide more for our community. We first learned about Scatter Kindness sometime last year, and we thought it was a fantastic initiative. So the idea popped into my head a few weeks ago, to get a group of us together to say thanks for all your hard work and everything you do for our community."

Dr Todd, says so many emergency services workers put their own health concerns aside in order to keep others safe and sound.  "These people lead very stressful, busy, hectic lives; and as such, they often neglect their own bodies for the sake of putting other people's back together."

Offering acupressure, cranial therapy, massage, yoga, computerized foot scans, a computerized spinal assessment, and health advice, Dr Todd says the clinic often takes a collaborative approach when it comes to optimal health. While their new space has allowed them to expand their own team, they also work in conjunction with other local health service providers. "Taking a collaborative approach to health is definitely the best way. Let's say when we have the massage working with the chiropractor working with say functional medicine, it's like eating a diet. You can't just have one particular food type, typically to have a healthy diet you have to have a little of everything. So that is the approach we try to take at the office. Whether we are working with medical doctors, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, or massage therapists; it really becomes what is best for the patient not just what we services we have."

Taking a proactive approach to your health no matter age or profession is always better than having to be reactive. "Taking a more proactive approach to our life is always beneficial. It is never too late to start. One of the challenges we often see is when people reach their golden years, they realize they aren't as golden as what they thought they were. It is like anything in life where you look back and think I should have done this or that, our health is an easy place to start with so you don't have those regrets or frustrations later in life."

Scatter Kindness Cochrane kicked off last fall as a feel-good initiative with help from Carey Lee, Courtney Sproule, Alison Stutz and Marni Fedeyko. Lee says the grassroots concept is meant to grow organically by do-gooders in Cochrane who challenge others to pay kindness forward. Starting with a ripple, Lee believes a tidal wave of positivity can occur without costing a penny. "It is simply doing random acts of kindness when the opportunity hits. The positive impact and the ripple effect a simple act of kindness can have is limitless, and it is amazing how it makes you feel and someone else feel."

Lee was proud to find out that West Valley Chiropractic chose to treat Protective Services staff as part of a Scatter Kindness initiative. "I was thrilled to learn that Amanda and her staff decided to take this and use it as an opportunity to help the people in our community whose whole lives are dedicated to physically and mentally help others. Showing them how appreciated they are in our community could change one of our firefighters or EMS responders for a month or even a year."

So what did Inspector Jeff Avery think on behalf of Cochrane Fire Services?! He says the department was really appreciative. "I don't think we expected it to be so well organized. They were all very professional and extremely good at what they do. It was really cool and everybody was very happy after that, it was awesome and a great event." 

When it comes to paying kindness forward, Avery says Cochrane Fire Services will take some to think on an initiative they will spearhead that will keep the ripple going.

For more information on the services West Valley Chiropractic Centre, provides go HERE.

Scatter Kindness Cochrane cards can be found at West Valley Chiropractic Centre, Barnett Orthodontics, Dara Health, Snap Dance Studios, and Cochrane Floors and More.

Thanks to West Valley Chiropractic Centre's, Dr. Amanda Tulk, Dr. Aaron Todd, Dr. Amanda Selmser (Acupuncture), Lisa Jeffries (RMT), Dani-Lynn, Taryn, and Jaqueline (Support Staff), as well as Nina (Osteopath from Natural Balance Therapies) and Corrine Sato (Yoga Instructor) and Cochrane Freshii's for food.