Southern Alberta Kanadier Association hosting major June conference

If you are a service provider that works with our Low German Mennonite (LGM) communities from Mexico and other South American areas, we invite you to attend the 2nd LGM Service Providers Conference June 6, 2023 in Lethbridge, hosted by the Southern Alberta Kanadier Association (SAKA).

The conference will provide cultural information, networking and resource sharing for agencies and service providers working with LGM families. Speakers have been invited from across Canada to share their experiences and knowledge on this unique community. An authentic South American-Mennonite lunch will be provided, as well as home baked goods for Faspa (afternoon snack), so come with a hearty appetite and join us in creating a culturally sensitive world where we can empower, equip and grow together with our LGM community members

Having grown up in the LGM culture, I myself can appreciate all the work that so many agencies are doing to provide access to resources and health information. Coming to Canada when I was four years old with my family, not knowing the Canadian way of life, we relied so much on the many agencies to help us navigate and make Canada our home. For so many of our families, language and cultural barriers are a very real and difficult reality, and they need your help! When we first arrived in Canada everything was new and we struggled to adapt to our beautiful new surroundings.

Thankfully there were and are many organizations that help bridge gaps, remove barriers, and open up doors that will make an enormous impact on many lives. This can however, be difficult, if one doesn’t understand where someone is coming from or what the needs actually are. It is our hope is that this conference will help service providers become better equipped when working with our LGM community.

I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, having experienced it firsthand, each and every one of us can make a huge difference in the life of a newcomer to Canada! I would like to say thank you to all of those that helped my family navigate and settle in Canada so that we may now be contributing citizens in this great country! Now that Canada is my home, when I do venture back to Mexico I get a taste of what it was like when we first arrived in Canada.

The Spanish language is neat but confusing, the culture is intriguing but a mystery, the foods are overwhelming and almost intimidating … all of the unknowns make it altogether intimidating and when you find someone that tries to speak your language and comes to your rescue, the relief is immediate! Next time you are on vacation far from home, imagine those in your shoes that are trying to make a new life in a new world, long term and come to our conference to learn, share, and make a difference!

Come build connections with fellow service providers, learn about the LGM culture, and enjoy some amazing food! We look forward to seeing you in June!

REGISTRATION: Register by visiting Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/saka-conference-for-low-german-communtiy-service-providerstickets-487083679397?utm-campaign=social&utmcontent=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=escb

COST: Registration: $75; Registration Deadline is May 31st, 2023 *

The Southern Alberta Kanadier Association (SAKA) is a diverse group of service providers committed to improving the health and well-being of the Low German Mennonite population in Southern Alberta.

We are looking for sponsors to make community events and critical resource creation possible for our LGM Community. If you are interested in supporting this work, or if you are interested in joining our quarterly SAKA meetings, please email us at sakaresources@gmail.com.

Tina Meggison is a Community Health Representative with Alberta Health Services and she can be reached at Tina.meggison@ahs.ca or 403-308-8373.