True Sport Foundation is committed to ensuring that sport makes a positive contribution to Canadian society, to our athletes and to the physical and moral development of Canada’s youth.
2008 TSCF Phase One Recipients
The True Sport Foundation announced the initial group of 2008 grant recipients of the True Sport Community Fund. The Fund awarded twenty-two (22) communities with $5,000 grants. An additional five (5) communities received grants of $25,000 each.
More than 200 applications were received before the May 31st deadline.
$25,000 Recipients
The True Sport Community Fund awarded $25,000 grants to the following communities:
| Baker Lake Youth Athletic Association (Baker Lake, NU) |
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Ehrlo Sport Venture Program (Pilot Butte, SK) |
The Ehrlo outdoor hockey league (OHL) provides opportunities for youth to play hockey and attempts to address some of the barriers that limit access to sport. The OHL operates seven rinks in Regina’s inner city neighborhoods that are staffed by a group of dedicated volunteers. The TSCF will fund this initiative and provide support to their mission of providing equipment, ice time, and yearly city wide tournaments free of charge to youth. The OHL, made up of 70% aboriginal youth, brings the community together at least once a week, creating positive social interaction and building community capacity. |
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PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada |
The PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada is currently the sole immigrant support agency in the province. The organization operates the Immigrant Student Liason program (ISL) which was able to place 20 youth in three different sports in 2006 with the assistance of Sport PEI / KidSport. In 2007 the number of students increased to 37 and the number of sports expanded. This past year, to date 45 youth from low income, new Canadian homes have been placed in a variety of sports. The association is seeking funding to purchase uniforms and manager a larger scale equipment sharing effort. In addition they plan to use the funds to do outreach in the community to help coaches and volunteers better understand issues related to multiculturalism and diversity. |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg (Winnipeg, MB) |
This program is a joint initiative of several community based service organizations in Winnipeg. Currently access is provided for six teams (60 participants) to compete in the Winnipeg Minor Basketball Association’s community club basketball league. Next year, in a joint project with the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM) and the NEEDS Centre for War Affected Families, the Spence Neighborhood Association and the Boys and Girls Club a full slate of 12 teams is planned. In this community, they have experienced a 50% volunteer involvement rate. For new Canadians this program provides the opportunity to make a number of new friends in a context where the common language is basketball. The TSCF will support this program by allowing this group to expand the program and offer a full service summer basketball camp. In addition, the funds will allow the organization to cover all transportation costs for travel from inner city areas, healthy snacks, registration costs, jerseys and equipment for all programs. The TSCF will also contribute 50% of the position costs for a part- time position tasked with organizing and maintaining the infrastructure associated with this growing program. |
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Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre |
The Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre (WASAC) created the LifeSports initiative to increase participation among aboriginal youth in sport and recreation activities by breaking down barriers that hinder participation. Specifically they wish to address these needs in a culturally sensitive way in the hopes it will lead the youth to a lifetime of physical activity. The program will run for 10 weeks and will see 25 youth introduced to a variety of sports though certification workshop and courses. It will be free of charge and provide transportation, nutritional information, equipment and workshop fees and outfits. Once they complete the program, the youth will be trained and educated in a variety of sports - hopefully engaging them either as athletes or as coaches/ officials in the community. The program has strong support from Sport Manitoba, Soccer Manitoba, the Manitoba High School Sports Athletics Association and the City of Winnipeg who will all be providing workshops and sessions during the program. |
The Baker Lake Youth Athletic Association is dedicated to providing opportunities in athletics to all youth in the community. This association believes the sport and education go hand in hand and have seen a marked increase in the attendance and graduation rate at the High School since the start of the program. The association is seeking funding to achieve 5 main objectives.$5,000 Recipients
The True Sport Community Fund awarded $5,000 grants to the following communities:
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Cosmos Sports Club |
The Cosmos Sports Club was founded in 1978 by a group of recent immigrants and has become a strong outlet for new Canadians in the community of Winnipeg. This social and cultural group offers a year round Cricket program for youth, a familiar sport for many new Canadians. The program is growing and in order to continue providing the program free of charge will use the TSCF to pay for gymnasium time and equipment. |
| Tri County Rangers Baseball Organization (Wellington, NS) | The Tri County Rangers was born five years ago when three local associations merged enabling them to share fields, funding, equipment and coaches and umpires. This model has increased participation as economies of scale were created and registration fees could be kept low. However, the demand has recently outstripped their ability to provide enough safe fields and gear. The organization seeks funding to expand in two key areas which have been out of reach due to financial constraints. The first is to start up a girl’s league as girls are severely underrepresented within the organization, the second is to establish a 4/5 year old ‘introduction to sport’ program. |
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Paqtnkek First Nation |
The Chief and Council of the Paqtnkek Fist Nation have developed a community plan to create a safe, clean and accessible recreational sports park in their community. There is currently very limited access to sport opportunities in the community. The project is currently in its second phase with site development and consultation underway for the community centre and complex. The proposed project is to establish a comprehensive equipment sharing program for the new sports park including hands on sport instruction. |
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Kugaaruk Nanuq Sports |
This community is located in a remote area in the north and does not offer many extracurricular activities for youth. They have formed a small committee to organize sport opportunities after school. The program is seeking funding to purchase equipment which is their largest barrier to participation. The goal is to align the program with curriculum goals and community values thus giving the community an overall feeling of pride and achievement. |
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KidSport Parkland Region |
KidSport Parkland is a committee made up of 8 volunteers from the Parkland Region in Manitoba. This region is considered one of the poorest federal ridings in Canada. KidSport is a national charity designed to help children from low –income backgrounds access sport and recreation opportunities. This group will use the funding to expand its services and assist a larger proportion of the funding requests they receive. Since the fall of 2007 this groups has directly assisted 1378 children. |
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Peter Pitseolak School |
The majority of the students at the Peter Pitseolak school are Innuit from low income families. This school is seeking funding for a Friday night / Saturday morning activity program. Friday night will focus on life skills and cooperative games while the Saturday morning will allow youth to participate in badminton and table tennis sessions. Specifically the funds will be used to purchase the nets and tables needed for the two sports. Further funding will be sought from other groups to continue to expand the program offering and provide a valuable and positive outlet for the youth of this community. |
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Minahik Waskahigan Ski Club |
The club is located in a northern Cree/Dene Metis village which is generally low income where many families are not able to purchase skis and sport equipment. The club has partnered with the local school and together has jointly purchased equipment to loan to community members. The funds will be used to purchase 20 sets of small skis which will allow the school to include grades 1-3 in the services offered by the club. The goal of the program is to help these children develop self esteem, healthy lifestyle and foster positive lifestyle choices later in life. |
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Selkirk School Division |
The students at this urban elementary school are primarily low income aboriginal children who face many barriers, including access to sport and recreation opportunities. This program will expose students to six different sports during half day sessions in partnership with each sport’s provincial sport association. Each student will be encouraged to participate in one of the sports for at least one season. It has been observed that many students are hesitant to ‘jump into’ a new sport they have never experienced. This program will provide this important introduction to sport and an incentive for youth to engage in productive and healthy behaviours as well as reduce or eliminate negative behaviours. |
| Shellbrook Junior Soccer Association (Soccer) | The Shellbrook parks board has identified the need for a program for children during the summer/ fall months to keep children active and engage with other children in the community. There are very limited sport activities available at this time in the community. The TSCF will provide start up costs for a junior soccer league to include the purchase of equipment and allow for much needed field upgrades. The coat of the program will be kept to a minimum to allow for everyone to have the opportunity to participate. Any funds collected will be put back into the program to ensure long term sustainability. The fields will also be promoted as a place for families to gather and play in a safe and enjoyable area. |
| Kildonan Youth Activity Centre (multi-sport) | This youth centre is a drop in centre created to decrease the amount of youth on the streets. Sport and recreation are a large part of the programming offered at 4 centres across the city of Winnipeg. Due to budget constraints the centre has only offered a small range of sports including basketball. The centre is seeking funds to expand the sports offered and purchase a variety of sport equipment for use over multiple years. |
| Fort Smith Speed Skating Club (Speed Skating) |  The community of Fort Smith aims to increase the number of aboriginal children and youth involved in their programs by increasing the number of speed skates available in their skate rental program. This is seen as a community solution aimed at providing a fun, healthy and safe alternative to sedentary pastimes or high risk behavior so prevalent in this small town. A nominal seasonal fee of $25 for the rental of the boots and blades will allow the club to replace older equipment for many years to come. |
| The Manitoba Speed Skating Association (Figure Skating) | The Manitoba Speed Skating Association hosts an annual school team relay race in Winnipeg and has noticed a lack of participants from schools located in lower income areas of the city. This has been attributed to an inability to afford skating equipment. They would like to use the funds to purchase a supply of skates youth could borrow during such events. Among other things, they plan to conduct speed skating clinics and demonstrations on the First Nation Reserve in rural Manitoba to share the spirit of the sport and encourage participation. |
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Manitou Minor Ball |
This volunteer organization has responded to concerns in the community about the lack of safe facilities to youth to play on. They have partnered with local coaches, the high school, parents and community members to refurbish and improve two local baseball diamonds. To date they have raised in excess of $19,000 as a community towards the project and have completed the first official diamond. The TSCF will support his project by providing funds to train coaches and for player clinics to make use of the new facility. These clinics will be offered free of charge. |
| The village of Teslin and Teslin Curling Club (Curling) | Teslin is a community with many aboriginal residents. In the past year the Yukon Curling Association has provided a program to promote youth curling within various communities across the Territory. They provide a ‘getting started in curling package’ as well as a facilitator and volunteer instructor to lead a one –day clinic in the community. Teslin received this community support in January 2008. The TSCF will support the Teslin curling club by building capacity within the existing program. Community volunteers will receive coach and official certification allowing for more youth participation and quality instruction. |
| Native Council of Prince Edward Island (Traditional Native Sports) | The Native Council of PEI is the representative organization for all off reserve aboriginals who choose to reside on traditional, ancestral Mi’kmaq homelands. They are seeking funds to assist them in their goal to bring organized sports to the youth of the Native Council. The TSCF will provide support for the hosting and staging of a Indian Summer Games weekend retreat for youth 13-18 on Panmure Island, the traditional Pow Wow grounds of the Native Council. The weekend will include many leadership and teambuilding activities and traditional native games. |
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Citizenship Council of Manitoba Inc. International Centre |
The international centre of Winnipeg assists immigrants and refugees integrate into the community. This organization is seeking funding to expand its Sport Club which runs once a week for two hours. Children with different ethnic, cultural and social backgrounds are united though plays while learning skills, Canadian customs and the importance of physical activity. Older children are encouraged to assist and act as mentors to new participants. The funds will be used to purchase equipment, healthy snacks and for local field trips and tournaments. |
| Riverton- Bifrost Parks and Recreation (Soccer) | The Riverton minor soccer program provides opportunities for all youth in the community to play soccer, which is the community’s most popular sport. The program is looking to rebuild after most existing equipment was lost or damaged a few years ago. To keep registration costs very low, the TSCF will support this group by providing funds for coaches and referee training, equipment and for the establishment of a sustainability reserve fund. This fund will set aside a very small portion of registration fees for future upkeep and maintenance of the program contributing to its long terms sustainability in the community. |
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Elwick Community School |
 This school is part of a community school partnership initiative (CSPI) site, which uses a shared leadership model where community residents and school staff collaborate to provide sport and recreations opportunities for primarily Aboriginal and new Canadian youth. The program is seeking funding to coordinate noon hour sporting activities and purchase equipment for the program. This community that has not had a rink in many years, and youth will be trained in creating and maintaining an ice rink, contributing to the sustainability of the rink in the future. |
| Boys and Girls Club of Winnipeg (multi- sport) | The boys and Girls club of Winnipeg offers community based programming in 9 drop in centers across the city. For an overwhelming majority of youth in this community the Boys and Girls club represents their first opportunity to play organized sport. This group will use the funds to expand its SportsConnection program, a youth development program that increases opportunities for children and youth to play organized sport outside of school. Specifically, the SportsConnection program provides children and youth with registration fees, qualified instruction and equipments costs for 10 different sports. |
| YMCA Community Basketball league (Basketball) | The YMCA community basketball league offers opportunities for youth in grades 1-8 to play organized league basketball at no cost. This has shown to reduce the amount of bullying and has fostered a caring community for youth where they feel welcome. The program partners with local public and catholic schools to include as many families in low-income neighborhoods as possible as well as the aboriginal and new Canadians who live in these areas. |
| The Village of Teslin – Recreation Department (multi-sport) | This department has a particular focus on the community, working to ensure equal opportunity and diversity in the sport and recreation options made available. The TSCF will provide support for this community for start up costs with an equipment sharing program. Equipment will be purchased for karate, hockey and soccer. Youth will be able to sign the equipment out for the season, returning the equipment at the end of the season. The equipment will be distributed based on need. |
| Waypoints Therapeutic Recreation Program | Waypoints is a multi- service agency that offers a variety of innovative and supportive programs to help guide at risk youth towards a life of overall health and fulfillment. All programs offered are based on a holistic model including activity programming, life skills training, group work, educational support and family contact. The TSCF will support this organization by providing funds for the purchase of equipment to expand its existing sport programs (rowing, golf and family recreation nights). This funding will allow an additional 16 children to participate in the rowing program, allowing them to attend two training sessions per week and to participate in the St. John’s annual Regatta. The golf program will also be expanded providing weekly tee-off times for youth over the course of 8 weeks and provide onsite instruction. |
