KidSport
Kids need sports. Not only for the obvious health benefits, but sport also allows kids to learn teamwork, fair play, dedication and commitment, increasing their sense of self-confidence, all of which leads to happy, productive lives in the future. KidSport Victoria’s goal is to ensure that kids from low income families can participate in a season of sport.
Patti Hunter is the General Manager of KidSport Victoria and one of the three original co-founders of the Victoria chapter in 2000. The staff and Board members, led by Steve Turner, has taken the organization from raising $7000 in 2002 to the present annual budget of $300,000. Patti is the former Director of Healthy Living for 2010 Legacies Now and spent 20 years with the YM/YWCA in Canada as Director of Health, Fitness and Recreation. Her passion is helping children and adults get excited about being active and healthy. She is a recipient of the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal and was installed on the Walk of Fame outside FrontRunners as a KidSport Champion. She is an avid golfer, skier, hiker, biker, runner and has taught fitness classes for over 30 years.
Although we have a beautiful city here in Victoria we are also a city with 50,000 low income families in the CRD. 1 in 5 children live below the poverty line and 58% of BC kids are not getting enough physical activity to be healthy. The mission of KidSport is to allow all kids to participate in sport. KidSport receives around 3000 applications for funding each year to access soccer, hockey and swimming. Peninsula Co-op is a supporter of KidSport and promotes after school programs at George Jay Elementary School. Since 2002, KidSport Victoria has helped 5000 children and paid $840,000 in registration to sport.
One example of a project that was a little out of the ordinary for KidSport was supporting the Paul Valentine Annual Memorial Basketball tournament in Westshore. Paul passed away after an assault at a McDonald's when he was only 16 years old. This tournament is supported by KidSport through providing added lighting to the outdoor basketball lights for a safe environment for teens.
KidSport uses many role models to build confidence with kids. Simon Whitfield is a local role model that works with our local kids and is a big supporter of KidSport. The future is full of hope for our kids. Patti asks that we all look to our groups of friends and to look to support KidSport and encourage strong values to the kids in our community.