A popular Canadian charity that aims to get all kids playing sports regardless of financial barriers may soon get a local chapter.
Nichole Stadnyk got the ball rolling to bring the KidSport Canada program to the area after she heard others in our community were taking advantage of the program through the Edmonton chapter.
“It breaks my heart when I hear about parents not being able to put their children in a sports activity because of a lack of money,” she said.
She started making inquiries with the charity and discovered there is a relatively simple process in place to start new chapters — beginning with an information night, which is scheduled for Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Westlock Inn’s boardroom.
“It’s going to take a team of dedicated volunteers,” Stadnyk said. “Volunteering doesn’t mean you’re going to have to work 40 hours per week. Every hour that anyone has to donate is appreciated.”
And the payoff could be immeasurable. She said she believes organized sports can have a very positive influence in young people’s lives, and can be a positive outlet.
It will take some organizational work, as well as some fundraising, to get the program off the ground.
That’s not too significant a roadblock, however, as Stadnyk said she has heard a lot of interest already — not to mention the fact there are already local families using the program.
“If 10 kids were helped through that funding, maybe 30 could be helped if we had our own chapter locally,” she said.
Stadnyk said while there is some government funding available for low-income families, there are many that are above that low-income threshold but still struggle to find money to register for sports.
“People might need help one year and then be able to be a donor the next year,” she said.
If there is enough interest at the Jan. 8 information meeting, then a board can be formed to look at exactly how much money would be available per child or what kind of income thresholds would be in place.
“Our board or committee would actually sit down to determine what income level is our cut-off. It’s specific to each community; it’s related to our economy in our community.”
Stadnyk acknowledged it may take a lot of work to make this program a success, but she isn’t dissuaded as she knows there is a strong volunteer spirit in the community — and often all it takes is an individual or small group to take the first steps.
“It’s going to be a big community effort, but I think anything great in our community has had to have been started by someone who just took the initiative.”
For more info visit www.kidsportcanada.ca.
