The second annual Canadian Tire Jumpstart Games will be taking place in Cochrane Aug. 27.
All kids from the Cochrane area between the ages of 4 – 13 are invited to come and play in multi-sport games at Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre. The event is free.
Rob Hatch is the chairman of the Cochrane chapter of the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. He launched the Cochrane chapter in 2011.
He said the day is not a fundraiser, but really a celebration of the Cochrane chapter and the community.
“It is a chance for us to get the kids of the community together and have a day of fun and let kids do what they do best and that is play and laugh,” he said.
Hatch said that involvement in sports for kids is very important and said they are seeing more and more issues of inactivity among kids causing problems such as obesity and diabetes.
But he also pointed out other important factors for kids to be involved in sports.
“Mentally and emotionally it gives kids self-esteem. Culturally it helps kids fit in and feel better about being part of a community,” he said. “When you can access all of those things, through sport and activity, it is the perfect recipe.”
The charity operates all over Canada with around 380 chapters across the country. Hatch, who also sits on the national board and said he has seen the need grow, particularly in Alberta.
He said that although he thinks Cochrane, and Alberta, is a great place to live, there is a lot of need here because housing and cost of living is very expensive – particularly for a lot of single-parent families.
“They get left in a lurch because it is really hard to find that money to buy the kids sports equipment or register them in sports. There is absolutely a huge need. We see it going up every year there is more and more demand for the funds,” he said.
Hatch said that the Cochrane chapter raises money through different events throughout the year and then he makes a donation as a local dealer.
All of the money is raised in Cochrane and is distributed back into the community through local community partners.
Hatch said the Cochrane partners include the Boys and Girls club of Cochrane, Family and Community Support Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Spray Lake Sawmill Sports Society and Seniors for Kids. He said that recently they invited the Cochrane Activettes to join.
He said that so far they have raised $40,000 and have given $22,000 back into the community.
The Jumpstart Games run from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. and participants must register online at cochrane.ca/eservices. All kids get a free gift to take home to help them stay active and there will be a free lunch.
