It’s official. KidSport’s St. Albert chapter is getting its celebration kickoff party this weekend.
“We are launching!” exclaimed Klayton Deputan, the group's organizer.
The Canada-wide organization offers to help children to get active in sports programs by providing financial assistance. Beneficiaries can apply for grants of up to $500 to offset the cost of registration fees, while some chapters also help with equipment costs, youth leadership opportunities, sport camps and travel.
Nationwide, it has distributed more than $10 million to help 55,000 kids and counting.
There are at least 40 chapters across Alberta and up until now, St. Albert has been the largest community to not have its own group. Forming a group has been in the works for a little more than a year and was originally expected to happen sometime last year.
Deputan explained that he and the chapter’s supporters decided to hold off until they were certain that they had more than enough money for more than a full 12-month period. KidSport chapters fundraise through various charity and community efforts.
“We could have done it maybe a little sooner but we absolutely wanted to make sure that we had enough in the coffers for at least two or three years without having to rely on any more money coming in,” he said. “That was something that we wanted to be absolutely sure of before we started and in conjunction with KidSport Alberta, that was their recommendation too.”
He added that that fiscal projection was based on current figures. Children and their families in St. Albert previously had to make their requests straight to the provincial body for help. Deputan added that there have been 220 kids who have received assistance in the last two years.
“It’s just going to be a lot easier for people to receive funding now by applying locally.”
KidSport St. Albert celebrate is hosting a launch party at the Fountain Park Recreation Centre on Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. People are encouraged to come with their families for some free swim time, co-sponsored by the City of St. Albert and the Amazon Springs Water and Coffee Co.
There will be some prize giveaways as well.
For more information, contact Deputan at 780-504-5599 or via e-mail at [email protected], or visit www.kidsport.ab.ca.
