Military Family Resource  Centre

Page Download Files
 
Melanie Heinrichs, Children's services assistant for the Shilo Military Family resource Centre in Shilo, tells us about their programs at the base.  They need some books for primary readers, and our club was able to provide the books that she needed.
 
 https://clubrunner.blob.core.windows.net/00000000985/Images/IMG_1724(4).JPG
 
Hi!  My name is Melanie Heinrichs, Children's Services Assistant for the Shilo Military Family resource Centre in Shilo, Manitoba.  The Shilo MFRC was established in 1990, to serve families of the Canadian Military and civilians of  CFB Shilo, military families' residing in the city of Brandon and the Rural Municipalities of Cornwallis, North Cypress and Oakland Wawanesa.
 
CFB Shilo is the home to the First Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery (1RCHA)and the Second Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI).
The Base is also home to larger units such as a Training Centre, Signal Squadron and Health Services Centre.
 
In addition to many Canadian Regular Force and reserve Soldiers who train at Shilo, troops from several foreign countries, including Germany, France, Denmark and the United States have trained here.
 
With a population of about 1400 military personnel and their families, the Base is completely autonomous with accommodations for more that 600 families and close to 400 single personnel.  This Base maintains its own water and sewage, sports and recreational facilities.  Shilo is classified as a Semi-isolated Base.
 
The Shilo Military Family Resource Centre is a non-profit charitable  organization that operates under the authority of a board of Directors.. The MFRC has 3 Provincial  Licensed Child Care Facilities, the Daycare Centre, Pre-K and Occasional Childcare.  We also provide the community with a Youth Program.
 
Something that I  am working on for this year is to have each family have the opportunity to borrow a bag of new child friendly books ( 1 for each night of the week).  At the next session they will trade them in for a another set.   This addition allows allows participants to bring literacy into the home and incorporates reading time into the family.
 
I am also incorporating this year, 2 sessions from October to June; a parent time that will give the parent the opportunity to create 2 kinds of stories.  The first one being a rock
story to share with their family at home.  For instance, it could be the 3 bears made out of rocks.  This would be a story bag for them to share with their family.   The second one will be a book made using sandwich bags, for children to go grocery shopping with their family.  I have a sample of each of these tp show you.
 
During the year we celebrate Literacy Day in January by having a storyteller come our to Shilo. In the past we have had Literacy Clowns, an Aboriginal Story teller from the Friendship Centre, staff putting on a play and this year we are just working our some details.
 
We have seen great success with TLC.  Parents are encourage to talk to their child, model proper pencil technique, encourage their child to express themselves in their story making, and by the end of the year have children writing their own name with no one helping them.  A challenge we have is that parents want to be on their cell phone, so we do have a few room rules.  Cell phones must not be used during the program, unless they are expecting an important phone call.  Once I explain why, then they are fully engaged. 
in the program.  I am taking pictures with our camera and at the end of the year, June, each child receives a book with pictures of their success from the year. Each child also gets their own song book that encourages the children to share with their families at home.  I have our song box included to show you.
 
Thank you for inviting me to attend this meeting.....are there any questions?