FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR (2014)

Isleta Pueblo News

Volume 9 Issue 3

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

I want to take the opportunity to thank

all our community members and program

service workers who willingly participated

in the Community Clean Up on Friday,

February 14, 2014 in preparation for days

of traditional observance.

Appointments 2014 Mayordomos

Saturday, February 1, 2014, a meeting of

Pueblo irrigation water users was held at

the Isleta Elderly Center for the purpose of

appointing new Mayordomos for 2014.

The following individuals have

appointed Mayordomos for 2014:

been

1. Acequia Madre Lateral

Head Mayordomo: Bernard Lujan

Ph. No.: 238-2876

Assistant:

Gary Trujillo

2. Cacique Lateral

Head Mayordomo: Brian Jiron

Ph. No.: 259-2688

Assistant:

Kevin Schroeder

Ph. No.: 410-4345

3. Chical Lateral

Head Mayordomo: Leonard Abeita

Ph. No.: 869-4298

Assistant:

Leon Chewiwi

Ph. No.: 261-0007

American Indian Day at the State

Legislature

February 7, 2014, the annual "American

Indian Day" at the State Legislature was

attended by Governor Eddie Paul Torres,

1st Lt. Antonio Chewiwi, and members

of the Isleta Tribal Council along with

Isleta Elders and Youth. Governor Eddie

Paul Torres addressed representatives of

the State Legislature to present a tribal

perspective on issues and concerns to

legislators and the public at the session. In

the evening a social event was sponsored

by the Institute of American Indian Arts

(IAIA) at the Museum of Contemporary

Native Arts. In attendance were the

Honorable Senator John Pinto, Honorable

Representative Rodger Madalena, Honorable

Representative Sharon Clahchiscilliage

and the Honorable Arthur Allison, NMIAD

Cabinet Secretary. The event provided an

opportunity to interact on issues of mutual

concern.

Indian Pueblo Cultural Center —

Albuquerque, NM.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014, the All

Pueblo Council of Governors (APCG)

held elections for 2014 APCG Officers; for

Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary.

We are proud to announce the election of

Pueblo of Isleta, Governor Eddie Paul Torres

as Chairman, Pueblo of Zuni, Governor

Arlen P. Quetawki, Sr., Vice Chairman and

Pueblo of San Ildefonso, Governor Terry

Aguilar, Secretary.

Travel to Washington, DC

During the week of February 24, 2014,

Governor Torres will be in Washington,

DC, to present some resolutions to the New

Mexico congressional delegation which will

have a positive impact for the Pueblos.

The first resolution requests Congressman

Steven Pearce to introduce legislation to

reauthorize the Native American Housing

Assistance and Self-Determination Act

of 1996 (“NAHASDA”). NAHASDA is the

primary legal authority for the United

States to fulfill its trust obligations to lowincome American Indians to provide safe,

decent, and sanitary housing. NAHASDA

establishes

and

authorizes

funding

under the Indian Housing Block Grant

(“IHBG”) for housing and housing-related

infrastructure and community development

in American Indian communities. IHBG

funding is the primary source of funding

for housing development for Indian tribes

in New Mexico. The Pueblos rely on IHBG

funding to build affordable housing for

tribal members and their families.

The second resolution asks that Congress

hold more hearings on the Tribal Law and

Order Act of 2010 and to take testimony

from Pueblo governments. The resolution

March 2014

also asks Congress to appropriate funds to

Indian tribes for drug eradication, juvenile

rehabilitation, jail facilities, and crime

reduction.

The third resolution asks Congress to

appropriate funds to the Rio Grande

Irrigation Infrastructure Act, which was

approved in 2009 to study the irrigation

systems on Pueblo lands along the Rio Grande

basin. The study was never completed and

Congress failed to appropriate the funds to

repair and maintain the irrigation systems,

including those systems here at Isleta.

Governor Torres expects the Congressional

delegation from New Mexico to support

these resolutions in a manner that will

ultimately benefit our community.

Message from Governor Eddie Paul

Torres

As we celebrate our special traditional

days let us all be mindful of protecting our

Mother Earth and give thanks to our Great

Spirits for their blessings they shower upon

us and hold in your hearts fond memories of

our recently dearly departed love ones and

their families. May the Great Spirit always

guide you and look over you.

March 2014

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 3

FOREST... SWAMP FIRE REPORT

The Pueblo of Isleta's Public Service Department (PSD), Bureau of

Indian Affairs-Southern Pueblo's Agency (BIA-SPA) Fire and Isleta

Pueblo Governor's office would like to send out its deepest thanks

for the heartwarming gifts of food, water and encouragement they

received from the community while battling the "Rec Fire" and later

the "West Rec Fire" during the week of February 16-February 24.

Numerous individuals and families bought by generous donations

during the fire, which were distributed to fire fighters, police

officers and staff engaged in the suppression. The fact that people

would take the time to stop by the Command Center to say thank

you was a testament to our Pueblo —Thank you all!

New Mexico State Police

BAER Team — Fred von Bonin, BAER Team Leader/GIS

Specialist

Wayne Waquiu, BAER Forester/Documentation Specialist

Lawrence Abeita, BAER Wildlife Biologist

Michele De la Cruz, BAER Environmental Specialist

Darryl Martinez, Tri-Regional BAER Coordinator

Isleta Parks and Recreation (Rick Giron and his staff) who

housed the firefighters for a week, supported them and were

great hosts!!

And anyone else who helped out — Thank you!!

The "Rec Fire" started at approximately 2:30 PM on Sunday,

February 16 in the marsh area south of the Isleta Recreation

Center, hence the name "Rec Fire". Firefighters and Police Officers

from Isleta and Bosque Farms responded quickly and fought the fire

until BIA-SPA fire personnel arrived and took charge of the Fire.

Firefighters fought the fire until 3 AM Monday morning, resuming

the fight at 7 Am that same morning and continuing nearly nonstop until Friday, February 21, 2014. The Fire was so large that

the BIA-SPA requested a Type 3 team to come in and assume

control of the fire, the Albuquerque Zone —Type 3 team came in

and ran the fire until handing it back to BIA-SPA on Wednesday

evening. The "Rec Fire" burned approximately 449 acres, but

thanks to the heroic efforts of Firefighters it did not damage any

infrastructure, was contained and most importantly no one was

hurt while battling the blaze. BIA has requested a BAER (Burned

Area Emergency Recovery) Team in to assess the post-fire effects

and to make recommendations.

The Pueblo’s Fire and Emergency Personnel (PSD, IPD and VFD)

and BIA-Fire have also been on numerous fires this past month

non-stop and ask your assistance in ensuring we all chip in and

use good sense and judgment when burning. We had a fire on

February 10, which got out of control and burned two utility poles

that knocked out phone and internet service - including the 911

system for two hours - affecting thousands of people in Isleta and

Bosque Farms. There were also three fires that occurred this past

week, which also strained our limited resources.

Unfortunately, the day the exhausted fire fighters were released

someone intentionally set the swamp area along NM 314 on

fire sometime after midnight on February 22, 2014 (See BIA

Reward Poster) - starting the “West Rec Fire”. This malicious and

treacherous arson event burned an additional 75 acres and put a lot

of fire fighters at risk and if not controlled would have threatened

houses in Los Charcos, as well as Los Lunas and Bosque Farms.

The same firefighters involved in the “Rec Fire” responded and

fought all night to control the fire, then spent Saturday and Sunday

mopping it up so that it would not flare up.

The Southern Pueblos Agency, Branch of Forestry, Fire Management

would like to extend our appreciation to the community members of

the Pueblo of Isleta for providing support during the fire that started on

February 16, 2014, behind the Isleta Recreation Center and Bosque

area.

The Pueblo would like to recognize and thank the following

courageous men and women who fought these fires:

This event should serve as a reminder that drier than usual conditions

are present in the community. With the upcoming agricultural cleaning

of fields and ditches, we ask that safety precautions are followed prior

to burning. We encourage you to utilize the burn checklist:

Albuquerque Zone Type 3 Team (Interagency team) (led by Ryan

Romero-IC and Troy Cachini-IC-T and their superb team)

Isleta Emergency Manager (Vernon Abeita)

BIA: SPA-Fire Engines & Laguna engine (Vernon Calabaza-IC

and Edwin Zuni IC-T, and their crews),

Fire investigator - Jose Tenorio

US Fish and Wildlife: Sevilleta engine, dozer

US Forest Service: Mountainair Engine & Acoma Hand Crew

(USFS Sponsored Crew), Sandia Helitack

Bureau of Land Management: Grants District engine,

Albuquerque District, Socorro and Single

Resource Division Group Supervisor

New Mexico State Forestry: State Engines

National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC): Fire investigator

trainee (Kenny Jaramillo)

Albuquerque Dispatch Center: Dispatchers

Albuquerque Fire Department: 1 engine, 1 overhead

Bernalillo County Fire

Isleta PSD-Resources (Firefighters — Zulu and India Units)

Isleta PSD Resources (Wildland Law Enforcement)

PSD-Transportation (Heavy Equipment)

PSD-Environment (Support)

Public Service Department’s Director and Admin Staff

Isleta Police Department (Chief Mariano, Capt Maestas and Lt.

Chavez and their officers)

Isleta Volunteer Fire Department

Isleta Procurement

Isleta MIS

Bosque Farms Volunteer Fire Department

Los Lunas Fire Department

Tome Volunteer Fire Department

Meadow Lake Volunteer Fire Department

Please get a burn permit, call before you burn and clear

around your fire to ensure your fire does not get out

of control, you could be held accountable for damages

associated with suppression and damage to property.

Thank you and be safe out there!!

Southern Pueblos Agency

Branch of Forestry

We were grateful for the donations of food and drinks that were

provided to the incident command post at the Isleta Recreation

Center. Your generosity and thoughtfulness was truly appreciated as

we worked with other agencies to extinguish the fire.

Pre-Burn Checklist

□ Have you considered other alternatives to burning such as heavy

equipment?

□ Have you obtained your burn permit?

□ Have you checked the weather forecast for possible winds?

□ Have you checked with local authorities to see if it is a "Burn or No

Burn Day?"

□ Have you notified proper authorities of your burn, i.e. location and

size?

Before You Light

□ Have you scouted the area you are going to burn?

□ Have you cleared weeds and grass around telephone poles, utility

boxes, gas meters, propane tanks, cottonwood trees, corrals or

sheds?

□ Have you created fire breaks to keep the fire from spreading beyond

the intended burn area?

□ Do you have adequate equipment, tools, water and personnel on

site to keep your fire from escaping?

While You're Burning

□ Keep your fires small.

□ Avoid burning large areas at one time.

□ Always burn against the wind and be aware of wind shifts.

□ If winds increase, consider extinguishing your fire.

□ Monitor your fire at all times.

After the Burn

□ Stay on site until your fire is out.

□ Check for any smoldering piles or debris that could reignite if winds

increase.

Remember Only You Can Prevent Wildfires!

March 2014

Parks & Recreation

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 5

With the beginning of March 2014 we are now getting closer to our Spring Season that begins on March 20th. Spring means for the most

part warmer weather and more winds, however, with hardly a trace of snow or rain most would believe that spring was already upon us.

February was a very complicated month for us at the New Rec. Center. We had several home basketball games for the youth however we

also had to postpone a couple of games because of traditional activities taking place either at our opposing teams or here at the Pueblo

of Isleta. Also, we had to close our facility for the better part of a week due to the fire on our Pueblo of Isleta Bosque property near the

river and on another day due to the water shut off. We did once again open on Tuesday, February 25th. Sorry, to all tribal members for

the inconvenience but it was beyond our control. For the most part all Parks & Recreation Activities are staying busy and with lots of

work being done at the parks and Recreation activities i.e.; taking place for the afterschool programs at both New & Old Rec. facilities.

Rec. Fire Pueblo of Isleta

On Sunday, February 16, 2014, the largest fire ever recorded on the Isleta

reservation engulfed over 449 acres of the marshland in the Bosque near

the New Rec. Center. The fire required the voluntary evacuation of pueblo

residents as crews battled the fire. The fire was the first major fire of this

year's fire season with heavy smoke and flames overwhelming the entire

Pueblo of Isleta as well as neighboring communities. A number of agencies

from surrounding communities helped battle the blaze. that eventually

set up the Command Center at the New Rec. Center. Because of its close

proximity to the New Rec. Center the fire was dubbed the "Rec. Fire" on

local news reports. As a Command Post the Rec. Center was now a place for

feeding, sleeping and over-all command center for several days. Because of

all this activity, it required us to close our facilities as a Recreation Center

for our patrons. At the height of the fire approximately 150 fire-fighters

were on hand battling the blaze with a number of Fire engines, bulldozers,

trucks and1 helicopter that made frequent water bucket drops on many of

the hot spots. We the Pueblo of Isleta Parks & Recreation Department are

happy that we could be of assistance to this emergency situation. Although

it did cause an inconvenience for our patrons everyone was safe and no

one was hurt inclusive of the fire-fighters. Pictured below are scenes from

the many personnel who were on hand who fought hard and long hours

to insure our Pueblo of Isleta’s safety. Pictured are many of the fire crew

members during one of daily briefings prior to going back on the field to

battle and eventually mop up the blaze.

After-School Rec. Programs

Both Rec. programs at New Rec. and Old Rec. continue to operate

although sometimes at a snails pace. I only refer to the snail's pace

because of our closure due to the fire, and the water shut off as

the water lines to the new Elderly Center were being connected

to the system. It required us to close for a week due to the fire

and one additional day for the water shut off. We received several

calls asking why did you close for the water hook-up; we can drink

bottled water and not use the showers that day. Our answer is:

because of the health and safety issues involving bathrooms

facilities, showers etc. not only for our patrons but staff as well.

We definitely didn't want another Hurricane Katrina situation

which happened at the Super-Dome in New Orleans when people

continued using the facilities and were unable to flush the toilets or

Ryan Romero - Incident Commander

wash their hands etc. The situation almost caused the Super Dome

to be demolished. As far as the After-school at Old Rec. program

is concerned, Kimberly Chiwewe reports that the program and

children are being kept busy. Unlike New Rec, which closed down

during the fire, they continued operating offering their program to

our youth and had several field trips as well during that time. In

addition, Kimberly will be offering a program during Spring Break

to those parents and youth who may need something to do during

their time away from school. For more information about the

program or spring break activities, Kimberly can be contacted 3820208. Spring Break is different for those children attending A.P.S.,

Los Lunas and the Pueblo of Isleta. Needless to say we will try to

accommodate everyone with some type of spring break activities.

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 6

March 2014

Youth Basketball

During the month of February a couple of youth basketball games were

held at the Rec. Center. Because of our closure due to the fire a couple

of games had to be postponed or cancelled. Also because of traditional

activities taking place the basketball tournament slated for February 28th

and March 1st at Jemez was cancelled for our youth because too many of

our youth were unable to participate. Our Coaches are however, trying to

set up another tournament that we can possibly host sometime in March.

We will keep everyone posted. Pictured are several of our players as they

played one of the home games against Acoma/Sky-City. The children and

many of the fans really enjoyed watching as they witness the children

developing and honing their skills.

Park Management

Little League

The park management crew continues to prepare our parks for the

upcoming growing season as they are now getting the fertilizer schedule

into full gear. Once the first part of a 4 part fertilizer schedule is

administered and the watering schedule is pumped up you will almost

immediately notice a significant change in our parks. Several days after

that process begins they will begin to turn the lush green our parks are

noted for. In last month’s newsletter I reported that the canopy over

the play structure at the Veteran's Park at Pickle Heights had been

vandalized to a point that it required replacing. We have since replaced

that fabric structure with a metal structure which should be a little more

vandal proof however, we ask the residents to stay vigilant in reporting

anyone attempting to vandalize our parks. This replacement structure

cost several thousand dollars and many man hours to replace. This is

time and money that could have been utilized in other worthy projects

within our park system which in a sense the money comes out of your

pockets.

The Little League registration process is in full swing. After

a couple of years of taking a break, Vernon Abeita is back

at the helm in charge of the Little League program. For

those children and parents who are interested, registration

is ongoing and he can be reached at 269-8886. Anyone who

is interested in volunteering for the program as a coach,

umpire, mentor etc. can also call Vernon for all the details.

Also new for this year our Park crew has been busy trying to

ready the new scoreboard system that will adorn the 2 Little

League Field across the street from New Rec. In addition the

Little League has a new Concession stand and office space

which will be totally handicap accessible. The Isleta Housing

program has been busy making those necessary adjustments

and ramps to make that possible. Good Luck to all children,

parents and volunteers who do get involved.

Health Beat

Health Educator:

Stephanie Barela, 869-4479

CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION

Know Your Cholesterol Numbers - Know Your Risk - Give Yourself Some TLC

Let’s all make a point to learn our numbers

and know our risk. The next time you are

at the clinic ask for a lipid profile, which

is a measurement of your cholesterol and

triglyceride levels. All adults over the age

of 20 should have a lipid profile.

Here is what your cholesterol numbers

mean:

Total cholesterol(mg/dL):

Less than 200 is desirable

200-239 is borderline high: Depending on

your other risk factors, you may be at a

higher risk for heart disease. Talk to your

doctor about your overall risk for heart

disease.

240 or higher is high: you are at risk for

clogged arteries and a heart attack. See

your doctor to determine your risk for heart

disease.

LDL Cholesterol is BAD cholesterol. KEEP

IT LOW!!

Here is what your triglyceride numbers

mean:

•

•

•

•

•

Less than 100 is optimal or ideal.

100-129 is near optimal/above ideal

130-159 is borderline high

160-189 is high

190 and above is very high

Less than 150 is NORMAL.

150-199 is borderline-high. You may be

at an increased risk for heart disease. To

lower your level, aim for a healthy weight

and be more physically active.

HDL Cholesterol is GOOD cholesterol. THE

HIGHER THE BETTER!

•

Keep it above 40

200-499 is high.

Weight control and

physical activity are very important to

lower your level. Watch out for other heart

disease risk factors such as overweight and

obesity, diabetes, low HDL and high blood

pressure.

Triglycerides are another type of fat in the

blood. They come from fat that you eat and

are made in the body. Triglycerides are

made when you take in too many calories or

eat a diet too high in carbohydrates. When

you have high triglycerides, you have a

higher risk for heart disease.

Over 500 is VERY HIGH!! ALERT! See

your doctor immediately. This level requires

attention to prevent severe problems with

your pancreas.

March 2014

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 11

JOHNSON-O’MALLEY PROGRAM

Maybe it was because we were busy, or

maybe it was because time flies when you’re

having fun, but either way February just

seemed to speed past us here at the JOM

Program!

First of all, a great big thank you to all of

our students and parents who joined us for

our Valentine’s Day Activity Night! We are

always glad to see our families having fun.

I’d also like to take a moment to say how

much I appreciate the parent involvement in

the IEC Meetings. We are slowly increasing

our parent numbers and I really am glad to

see you all getting involved. One new thing

you can expect to see at the next Activity

Night is a survey. This will be a quick four

question survey where you can rate and

give suggestions on our Activity Nights. We

really want to make sure that what we are

doing works for our students and parents

and we love your input! Please tell us what

sorts of things you would like to see at future

Activity Nights. Do you have an idea of a

theme we can do? Do you have suggestions

on how we can inform the community about

our activities? Let us know!

This month we took a group of 12 students to

the Santa Fe Children’s Museum. Students

got to ride the Rail Runner there and back!

Students learned a few facts about who

Thomas Edison was and what inventions

he created that we still use today. Thank

you to all the students who joined us for

this trip, we like seeing you learn a thing

or two and have fun at the same time! For

the month of March we will not be having

a field trip. However, we will be having an

activity coming up that I’m sure you will

want to know about…so just keep reading!

The National Johnson-O’Malley Association

Conference will be held March 25th to the

27th in Denver, CO. All JOM Staff, three

IEC Members, and one parent will be

attending this conference. As a result the

JOM Program will be unavailable. However,

you can still call and leave us messages or

send us emails and we will get back you as

soon as we get back! Give us a call at 8699810 with any questions/comments.

March Activity!

Literacy Night

Yes folks, it is that time of year again! The

JOM Program is having a Literacy Night on

March 13th from 5pm to 7pm! Once again,

the theme for this literacy night will be Dr.

Seuss in celebration of his birthday and his

contributions to children’s literature and

reading. The goal of JOM Literacy Nights is

to encourage reading at home. We do this by

providing reading/grade level appropriate

books for all of our JOM eligible students.

Reading is an integral part of education,

and like all subjects in school, must be

practiced. We offer our students books to

add to or create a home library. A home

library is a great way to encourage not

only students reading, but also, encourages

parents to read to their beginning readers

and stress the importance of reading early

on. Please join us to celebrate Dr. Seuss and

Reading!

JOM Needs You!

IEC Member Needed!

A position on the JOM IEC has opened

up and needs to be filled ASAP! The IEC

is the JOM governing board comprised

of 5 parents who represent all of the

parent/student JOM community. The IEC

approves and oversees all aspects of the

JOM Program. We are looking for a parent

to fill the vacant member spot. This parent

must be willing to be an active participant

in JOM, attend monthly meetings, provide

suggestions, opinions, and decisions that

will benefit all Native American Students

served by JOM, as well as be an advocate

for Native Students. This is an excellent

opportunity to have your voice heard and

learn the behind the scenes of JOM! Please

call if interested.

TUTORING ANNOUNCEMENT!

Parents and Guardians, if you are

interested in signing up your student(s) for

tutoring, now is the time. We have spots

open for a variety of days/ times. Remember

( Continued on next page )

March 2014

Isleta Pueblo News

Page 13

Invitation Announcement

Pueblo of Isleta Head Start

& Child Care Center

The Isleta Head Start & Early Head Start programs

invite you to join our family by completing an

application for the upcoming 2014-2015 program

year.

Mission: To develop the whole child in all

comprehensive areas reflecting the traditional Isleta

culture and language. A safe, positive, healthy, and

family-centered environment is supported with: a

highly competent staff; parental enrichment and

enhancement of their child's education; a structured

developmentally appropriate learning environment;

strengthened community collaboration; & sustained

stakeholder communications.

Options for you and your child:

Head Start - 3 to 5 years old

A 6-hour, 5 day-a-week program. Classrooms are

equipped with hands-on, age appropriate materials

and qualified teachers.

Early Head Start- Prenatal to 3 years (3 options

to choose from)

1. Home Based for Pregnant Mothers:

Home visits from a Home Visitor who brings

information and materials about pregnancy &

child development.

2. Home Based for Parent & Child Birth to 3

years:

Weekly 90-minute home visits from a Home

Visitor who provides information and materials

about parenting and child development.

Bi-weekly Socialization activities in a group

setting (i.e. fun walks, field trips, child

development, & more).

3. Classrooms ages 3 months to 3 years:

A 6-hour, 5 day-a-week program. Classrooms

are equipped with hands on, age appropriate

materials and qualified teachers.

We invite you to come in and fill out an

application:

Call to schedule an appointment to apply.

You need to bring ALL of the following:

√ Tribal Identification w/CIB # (required if

residence is outside of the Isleta Reservation)

√ Proof of Residency to ensure your residence

is within the Program's service area (New Mexico

Driver's License, Utility Bill, Government/Tribal

ID)

√ Proof of income for previous 12 months

(Such as: Public Assistance Award Letter,

2013 tax forms, W-2, paystubs, etc.)

√ Proof of Child's Birth (State issued birth

certificate, CIB Letter, Baptismal Certificate)

√ A copy of your child's IFSP/IEP (if

applicable)

√ For Prenatal option, Pregnant Mothers

need to provide proof of pregnancy

If you have any questions, please don't

hesitate to call us at 869-9796. We look forward

to working together with you and your family to

make your child's learning fun and successful!

Caring for Your Glasses

• To avoid scratching, never lay your lenses face down on any type of hard

or abrasive surface.

• Be sure to use two hands when putting on or removing your glasses. This

will keep the glasses in better adjustment.

• To avoid scratching lenses, never wipe them when they are completely

dry. Always use a little warm water with a soft tissue. If your lenses are

treated with anti-reflection coating, use an approved cleaner or cloth.

• Ultra-fine, machine-washable microfiber lens cleaning cloths trap dirt

and dust. So try to avoid rubbing prescription lenses with rags, facial tissues

or paper towels or your tie or scarf as all of these can scratch your lenses. Also,

avoid using household cleaners, acetone or soaps with cream—as chemicals

may damage your frames, your lenses.

• When in the bathroom, remember: A sink or vanity top subjects your

glasses to all manner of spatters, sprays and cosmetic products which can

quickly soil or even damage your lenses.

• Never leave your glasses or sunglasses lying out in the hot sun or on the

dash or console of your car.

• Take off your glasses before applying hairspray, perfume, or cologne. Not

only can it damage the lenses, but it can also dirty the lenses and nose pads.

• Don't sleep with them!

March 2014

WIC NOTES

I would like to introduce myself. I am the

Breastfeeding Educator for the Pueblo of

Isleta WIC program. My name is Tanya

Massey Vigil and I am incredibly grateful

to have the opportunity to work with

families through this office, which has such

a reputation for being so client centered.

I have been working in the lactation field

for about 14 years, both with WIC and in

other various community positions. My goal

is to support families through education

and practical, evidence-based advice that

empowers women and helps them overcome

common barriers to breastfeeding in our

modern culture. I live with my husband

and our three boys, ages 11, 8, and 5 in Los

Lunas. I am excited to continue to get to

know the people in the Isleta community,

as well as the surrounding areas.

Sincerely, Tanya Massey Vigil

WIC Breastfeeding Educator

Helping Kids Maintain a Healthy

Body Weight:

March is National Nutrition Month. To

help your children maintain a healthy body

weight, consider the following quick and

easy-to-do tips:

Include fruits and vegetables in meals

and snacks. Kids like the sweet taste of

fruit, so make fruit "fun" by serving frozen

grapes, melon kebabs, blueberry pancakes

and strawberry topped frozen yogurt.

Meanwhile, most kids dislike bitter or

strong flavored veggies so keep it simple

by serving steamed broccoli or cauliflower.

Finally, expand the raw veggies and dip

choices by steaming green beans and

zucchini and serving them cold along with

baby carrots, celery and cucumbers.

Eat breakfast. Go beyond cereal, and milk

and try a breakfast burrito made with a

scrambled egg, cheese and salsa wrapped

in a whole wheat tortilla. Also, teach older

kids to use the blender to make their own

breakfast smoothie or serve a yogurt bar

with plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt. Add

toppings like granola, dried fruit and nuts.

Eat three servings of low-fat dairy

foods. Choosing low-fat dairy foods can help

children. maintain a healthy body weight

while providing bone-building calcium.

Make low-fat milk the beverage of choice

with meals and save soft drinks for special

occasions. Low-fat flavored milks have a

bit more sugar than plain milk, but still

contain the healthy nutrients of unflavored

milk. As an alternative to high-fat sour

cream, try using low-fat plain yogurt on

baked potatoes or spicy nachos.

Be physically active. It’s important for

children to stay physically fit. Get your kids

dancing by playing their favorite music and

dance along. Check out the activities at the

Rec center. Plan family activities that get

everyone moving like biking, after dinner

walks, basketball or soccer at the park.

Finally, expand their video game choices

by including active games that promote

Isleta Pueblo News

balance and fitness instead of sitting and

only using their thumbs.

Control portions. It’s easy for portion sizes

to spiral out of control, so keep portions in

check by using common items to estimate.

For example, a tennis ball is about one

cup of cooked pasta or rice and a DVD is

about the size of one waffle or pancake. Use

smaller plates and keep portions smaller

for kid-sized appetites. Finally, be aware

that a 1 cup (8-ounce) beverage is a healthy

portion size, but many beverages come in 2

cups (16 ounces) or more servings per bottle

or can.

Make mealtime family time. Eat meals

together as often as possible, including

setting a goal of eating at least one meal

together each day. Avoid distractions during

mealtimes by turning off the television and

use this time to teach your children table

manners, such as using a napkin, how to

cut meat and having a conversation about

their day.

Involve your children in food choices.

Making children a part of the meal planning

process will help them think responsibly

about their eating habits. Planning menus

as a family and getting your child’s input is

a good start. Include kitchen duties as a part

of your child’s household chores by getting

them involved in food preparation as well

as clean up. Finally, teach your children to

cook; if your cooking skills are lacking, take

a cooking class with your son or daughter.

Don’t forbid foods or use food as a

reward. Forbidding foods only increases a

child’s desire for that food. Instead of saying

no to your child’s favorite food, limit the

portion size. Remember, parents do need to

exert some control over what and when a

child eats - overly permissive eating, such

as snacking all day, can lead to obesity.

Page 15

Limit screen time. Watching television,

sitting in front of the computer and playing

inactive video games are passive activities

and can lead to an unhealthy body weight.

Evaluate how much time your child spends

playing video games and is in front of the

screen, and cut back by 30 minutes each

day until you reach an agreed upon time for

gaming, television and computer use.

Provide healthy snack foods. kids like

to snack but keep the portions small. Whole

grains, fruit and low-fat dairy foods make

great snacks.

Reduce high-fat food consumption.

Diets high in fat can lead to weight gain.

Look for leaner meats, such as ground

turkey breast or ground round or sirloin

instead of ground chuck. Lower the hidden

fat in dairy foods by switching from whole

milk to low-fat milk.

Be

aware

of

sugar-sweetened

beverages. Soft drinks, fruit punch and

fruit drinks contain added sugars and a

lot of extra calories. Move away from soft

drinks and try homemade lemonade or iced

tea with half the sugar as prepared drinks.

Slice fresh oranges and drop them in a

pitcher of cold water for a refreshing drink.

Use flavored waters (raspberry, lemon-lime

and cherry) with zero calories.

Eat out responsibly. When dining at

a restaurant, choose simple food items

for your children — plain hamburgers,

cheeseburgers or cheese pizza — in order

to keep the calories in check. Look for new

options on the children’s menu such as

grilled chicken wrap, carrots with dip or

fruit. If you order take out or home delivery,

remember that you can add to the meal by

serving a glass of low-fat milk or adding a

side salad.

Heidi Lanes, WIC Nutrition Coordinator.