Community Newsletter | May 2023

WIC is Nutrition Education Your Way!

With topics ranging from newborn feeding to food safety to meal planning, WIC families at United General District 304 have a new option for nutrition self-education. Staff are sharing WICHealth.org for lessons available on a computer, tablet, or smartphone on the go. Topics available in English and Spanish are designed to provide WIC parents with an innovative, easy-to-use, and effective approach to daily nutrition. There are more than 50 educational lessons, including healthy recipes, available. Parents can choose their own topic, or staff can make recommendations based on the family's individual needs.  

Find out more about our WIC Nutrition Program by calling 360.854.0435 or visiting our WIC Nutrition webpage.

Grow Your Own Treasure Hunt

Introduce little ones to the magic of gardening and have fun harvesting food at home with this Potato Treasure Hunt! All you need is a bucket, dirt, and two pieces of potato. Kiddos can help pour dirt, plant the pieces, water the bucket, and harvest the tasty results by “hunting for treasure” in a few months. This simple activity encourages healthy development in children through use of motor skills and sensory awareness, along with emotional growth through patience and joy in the results - yummy potatoes to eat as a family.

Find the directions for creating your own

Treasure Hunt here in English and Spanish.

Don't Miss Out -- Trek for Treasure Starts June 2nd!

Join us this summer as we hike local trails, discover clues, and unravel the mystery of D. B. Cooper together!

Gather your friends, family, and co-workers to form a team, choose an intensity level, and register today!

Thursday, May 18, is the last day to register at the Early Bird price. Registration closes June 9.

Senior Strides Nature Walks

Explore local parks and trails with our Skagit Nature Prescription program this June! Guided walks for older adults age 55+ are a perfect way to connect and socialize while taking in the health benefits of time spent in nature. On Tuesdays, the Wandering series moves at a slower pace over shorter distances, while the Thursday Trekking series features longer and faster-paced routes. 

Cost: $25 for a four-walk series



Visit our website for walk info and registration!

Free Family Treks

Share the wonder of the changing season with your child age 0-5 and other local families in our group nature walks. From 10 to 11:30 am on Tuesdays or Thursdays, our friendly group leader provides activities to stimulate young minds and time to slow down and enjoy the beauty of Skagit County parks and trails.

This program is FREE for families and limited in group size – sign up now to secure a spot for June walks.

Shop Local & Support Students

It’s almost here! Concrete Farm to School was selected as the 4% Friday beneficiary at the Skagit Valley Co-op. Groceries purchased all day long on May 26 will contribute funds to help ensure garden and kitchen programs throughout the year have supplies and food for all students. Like many of our programs, we rely on grants and donations to fund Farm to School and make a difference in the lives of youth. So, if you can’t make it to the Co-Op to shop, you can also donate directly on our website and support food, farming, and fun!

Concrete Farm to School Coordinator (and Farmer), Kelly Skillingstead, presented at Skagit Valley Co-op’s Annual Member Meeting. She shared what being selected as a 4% Friday recipient means to the youth and community: “When you support a program like Farm to School, it’s more than just student lessons. It’s the whole network of relationships being built upriver. Because our program is intimately tied to the students, teachers, and staff of the Concrete School District, producers like Long Hearing Farm and Blue Heron Farm, and myriad other programs that connect to the food systems and people around us, we are building infrastructure at a community level.”

Celebratory Strawberry Shortcakes

Concrete Farm to School will showcase student-grown berries in delicious shortcakes celebrating high school environmental science students who worked hard to ready the school garden this season. Students prepared soil, started seedlings, and planted crops that will grace the Concrete Saturday Market this summer. You can make a batch of shortcakes for your next occasion or just a Saturday afternoon after visiting one of the many Farmer’s Markets opening at the end of May.

Check out this easy shortcake recipe from our kitchen classroom!

Youth in Action – Spring Youth Forum

Students from Concrete School District were one of 36 groups of youth selected by the Washington State Health Care Authority to present to their peers and prevention professionals from across the state this May! Four freshmen from the Concrete Prevention Posse shared the impacts of numerous activities they planned and implemented in the last year to improve the mental health and wellbeing of fellow students. Their projects included a positive messaging and positive community norms campaign, as well as the creation of a prevention-themed board game. Students left inspired and in awe of the work done by their peers from across the state, and full of ideas and momentum to carry them into the 2023-2024 school year and beyond. 

Concrete Prevention Posse members (from left): Destani, Cherokee, Alexis, Ashlyn

Presentation to peers and professionals from across the state.

Year-Round Safe Medicine Disposal 

Didn’t make it to National Drug Take Back Day in April? Have unused or expired medicines at home? There is now a one-stop way for community members to locate local safe medication return drop-off locations and order mail-back supplies and educational materials. Visit MedTakeBackWashington.org or call toll free 844-4-TAKE-BACK (844-482-5322). Keep your family and the community safe by properly disposing of medicines as soon as possible!

Financial Responsibility and Transparency

As a publicly owned entity, we pride ourselves on careful stewardship of resources, including federal grants and local tax dollars. Our recent annual federal audit received top marks, meeting our core values of excellence and collaboration as our team works to deliver high-quality services with timely and accurate accounting behind the scenes. We have amazing staff who make programs across all our six pillars of health and wellbeing possible!

In Memory of Concrete School District

Superintendent Wayne Barrett

His years of service and support of youth in East County will be remembered.

Did you know you can use your Fred Meyer card to help make our programs possible? Through Fred Meyer Community Rewards, you can link your card to Foundation of District 304. Link your card in person on your next visit, or click here to do it online. Funds support classes, trainings, and programs for Foundation of District 304 at no cost to you!

Thank You!