Community Outreach - Allies and Partnerships

Small town life serves as the stark comparison to city living. In cities, your life is your own. There's a circle of friends here, a regular restaurant there, and the daily commute. In a small town, we have a similar routine, except that in each instance, every face is a familiar one. Lives are connected and interwoven. It's like a supercharged 6-degrees-of-separation game.

As a friend's new husband remarked at their wedding "this town is great - I see the same people multiple times a day, and they seem happy to see me each time!". He wasn't exaggerating, either. We must have run into them four to five times on the fourth of July alone. 

When you couple small-town charm with rough Alaskan weather, the result is camaraderie. Part necessity, part neighborly-love, Haines residents support each other. This has not been more apparent than my entry into this town as a dietitian.

Once my signing on with Klondike Chiropractic LLC was made official, small talk in the grocery store or post office revolved around how people were looking forward to a nutrition professional working in the community. 

Other healthcare providers have asked for business cards, referred patients, and supported this new offering. Today, the high school is letting me speak to their health class about added sugars. Over the school year, I hope to work with the wellness team for the school cafeteria. I also plan to reach out to teach our seniors about healthy and easy meals. 

This post is my thank-you note to Haines. Thank you for welcoming me back, inviting me into your health circles, and helping improve lifestyle choices of this town one focus area at a time. I look forward to a future of partnering with the entire community and spreading nutrition joy!