Helping Under-Resourced Kids in Our Community
Sport has become a central focus in my life. Whether it is in the classroom or on the field, helping others prepare for their careers ahead or to simply become physically “Active for Life” as a Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L) Champion has been integral to my daily routine.
One of the programs I am most fond of is KidSport through which my colleague Chuck Smith and I had co-founded a local Chapter in 2012.
We believe that every child should have the opportunity to participate in sport; and in collaboration with the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, Windsor-Essex Sports Council, The City of Windsor (Department of Parks and Recreation), KidSport Ontario and the Sport Alliance of Ontario set out to ensure that all under-resourced children in our area have the ability to receive the “Gift of Sport” to become physically active for life.
Through this locally funded program where 100% funds raised (via donations, events, programs and grants) helped local children participate in a variety of sports ranging from soccer, gymnastics, swimming, baseball, football, hockey and even dance, we set out on a mission to ensure that children receive all the benefits of healthy living, physical activity, social interaction and camaraderie that are provided through sport.
Together, and through the completion of my term as Co-Chairperson for the local KidSport Chapter, we raised $39,977 and provided 133 children with the “Gift of Sport”; through which there were 67 boys and 66 girls who participated in a variety of sport programs across our community.
I am very pleased with these results through which 88% of those kids carried on into sport and the remainder had noted (through their parents) that they would carry-on with daily physical activity (running, biking and other forms of general recreation).
I was also delighted that we were able to provide a near gender neutral allocation of grants in terms of boys to girls who received the “Gift of Sport”, which I had fought for wearing my other hat through Leadership Advancement for Women and Sport (LAWS) through KidSport.
As a Trustee for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB), I look forward to advocating for physical literacy then creating opportunities through access to resources and community partnerships as part of my 4-pt plan to ensure that no kids are left on the sidelines, So All Kids Can Play!
About KidSport: KidSport believes that no kid should be left on the sidelines and all should be given the opportunity to experience the positive benefits of organized sports. KidSport provides support to children in order to remove financial barriers that prevent them from playing organized sport. For more information about KidSport please visit www.kidsport.ca.