Island institutions are coming together to get kids active.
The Pacific Institute for Sport Education Pacific Institute (PISE) has begun a fundraising campaign aiming to raise $500,000. In support, another long-time Vancouver Island business, Peninsula Co-op, has made a significant financial commitment to their cause, agreeing to match donations up to $100,000 dollars.
“The team at Peninsula Co-op is proud to support PISE’s vision of transforming lives through healthy activity and sport,” said Lindsay Gaudette, director of marketing and community relations with Peninsula Co-op.
“It is up to all of us to build the community’s capacity and give children what they need to develop their full potential. We also want to encourage others to get involved and double the impact this giving season.”
PISE's goal is to raise the money by April 2025 for its Gift of Play and Gift of Potential programs. Each of these programs offers kids and youth the opportunity to get active no matter their ability or circumstance, and centres around giving kids more opportunities to grow into active confident adults. The Gift of Play program fosters physical literacy through games and activities and the Gift of Potential program helps young athletes excel in their chosen sport.
In their announcement, PISE emphasized the importance of youth getting active. In a report cited from Participaction, they stated only 39 per cent of children get at least 60 minutes of daily activity.
“We advocate that all kids deserve the gift of play. Engaging in sports and physical activity at an early age has a long-lasting impact on children’s lives,” says PISE's CEO Robert Bettauer.
“Physical literacy programs help children grow into healthy adults, benefiting the larger community. We are so grateful to donors and supporters who help our kids and youth have access to the life-long gift of movement and sport.”
