Local kids who can't afford to play organized sport will now have the opportunity to don a uniform with the launch of the Squamish chapter of KidSport.
Thanks to a $3,000 donation from Sport BC, the 36th community chapter of B.C. KidSport is up and running in Squamish.
President and CEO of Sport BC Paul Varian presented the cheque to Squamish Rotary Club president Ian Davis during a friendly hockey game between the Minnesota Northern Lights and the Squamish Wolfpack at Brennan Park Arena on Thursday (Feb. 4).
"[It's] so they can start funding their basic operations and so they can start granting immediately, so people see that Kid Sport is not just a program that asks for money but it actually distributes it too," Varian said.
Sport BC launched KidSport in 1993 to help disadvantaged kids overcome financial barriers and participate in organized sport. The program only under-rides the costs of participating in organized sports rather than recreational activities, because the foundation believes organized sport offers kids much needed structure, mentoring, team building and friendships.
"We feel that [organized sport] helps a child develop," said Varian.
Sport BC has been aggressively expanding the KidSport program in order to be able to handle the expected influx of youngsters between the ages of six and 17 interested in sports after the Olympic Games are over, he said.
"We've been quite aggressively expanding the number of chapter in British Columbia over the last number of months in order to ensure that once the Olympic games come through and there's going to be without a doubt an unprecedented level of interest in organized sport from our youth, that kids through no fault of their own, may not be able to participate for financial reasons may be able to do so."
According to Varian, each community chapter plays an integral role in the success of the local KidSport program. Each chapter identifies kids in need in their area and helps fundraise for the local young athletes.
After bouncing the idea around for a while, the Squamish Rotary Club has stepped up to the plate and taken on the project for Squamish kids. Club president Ian Davis said local kids - although it's unknown exactly how many - could see the Kid Sport program start taking effect as early at this spring.
"We want to make sport available for all kids," said Davis.
Davis said the Rotary club plans to establish an advisory board comprised of representatives from all of the local sport associations, which would evaluate KidSport applications and generate funds for the program on an annual basis.
"Ideally the various sports associations in the local community will co-operate in building a sustainable model for us and that will be achieved when each of those organizations adds a dollar or two to their own membership fees so that that is our constant pool of funds to renew the fund - that's what we're hoping to establish."
Varian said the support the Kid Sport program has received to date has been great.
"We've had great support from the province. We've had great support from the corporate world and most of all we've had great support from the community in Squamish. The chapter looks like it's going to be a great chapter and programs like KidSport are only as strong as the communities that get behind them."
On Monday (Feb. 8) Olympic snowboard cross athlete Rob Fagan announced if he reaches the medal podium, he plans to donate half of his proceed to KidSport and challenged other Canadian athletes to do the same.
"The Olympics are such an amazing opportunity to make your mark -- both as an athlete and as a role model. I am super excited to make this announcement and to be able to work with a group like KidSport," he said.
Fagan is a member of the Canadian Snowboard cross team, who hails from Cranbrook, B.C. He is currently ranked fourth in the world and is considered a medal contender in his sport for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. He competes in the Vancouver Olympic Games on Monday (Feb. 15).
