Issue 7/July 2010
Move More
Welcome to our latest E-Newsletter from: www.participACTION.com
Message from the President
Happy Canada Day everyone! July 1 is the perfect summertime holiday to spend quality time with our friends and families and think about what it means to be Canadian.
Our country honours a rich array of traditions from different cultures, across different languages and involving different activities. This month, why not join your family and friends in trying out a new activity in your own community?
Try a cultural dance, walk around a historical site you've never visited, learn how to play lacrosse, go to a wheelchair basketball game or paddle a canoe to a camping site in a provincial or national park.
And, keep up with the latest in Canadian physical activity and sport across the country by checking out the new In the News feature on our homepage at www.participACTION.com
ParticipACTION is proud to be Canadian!
Warmly,
Kelly Murumets
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| ParticipACTION Update | |
Get free ParticipACTION ads and content through the new ParticipACTION Tool Kit
To help inspire and inform Canadians, ParticipACTION has developed an online resource called the ParticipACTION Tool Kit, which contains free communications materials that organizations can use to promote physical activity and sport participation. Download our ads, articles and other communications pieces to use in newsletters, on websites and in other vehicles. We have a tiered access system, which allows many materials to be downloaded by anyone. And, if you are a ParticipACTION Partner Network member, you also get access to special customizable materials, which you can co-brand.
To learn more about this new free resource, please click here.
Join the ParticipACTION Partner Network
The ParticipACTION Partner Network (PPN) is a robust network of not-for-profit and public-sector organizations dedicated to physical activity and sport participation. ParticipACTION's belief is that the PPN will not only help support the work of individual member organizations, but will strengthen the physical activity and sport participation sector in Canada. The PPN is a formalized mechanism through which:
- ParticipACTION can marshal resources and deploy these resources to PPN members in support of the delivery of initiatives to address the physical inactivity crisis.
- PPN members can build a community of practice related to physical activity through collaboration and communication between stakeholders.
- ParticipACTION can facilitate the coordination of communications and knowledge exchange across Canada, to ensure clarity of message to the general public and to help build capacity of member organizations.
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| Monthly Highlight | |
Canada's Parks Day Canada's Parks Day, an annual celebration showcasing the nature and history of the country, will take place across Canada on July 17, 2010. This year, Canada's Parks Day will recognize the International Year of Biodiversity as well as the 125th anniversary of the creation of Banff, Canada's first national park. Click here to see programs in nearby parks and join Canadians from sea to sea to sea in celebrating the importance of our parks and the contribution that they make to healthy and diverse ecosystems.
Cycling 4 Mobility
On May 31, 2010, a group of four individuals began a two-and-a-half-month epic bike ride across Canada. Starting in Montreal, they are riding their road bikes east to St. John's, then flying to Vancouver, where they will begin riding back across the prairies to Quebec. The objective is to promote awareness of cerebral palsy, mobility challenges, fitness and how to participate in a healthy, active and mobile lifestyle. This adventure is a prelude to the Xc4 Mobility Challenge event taking place on August 15 in Uxbridge, Ontario. The Xc4 Mobility Challenge is a one-day challenge issued to all Canadians to do something physically active - walk, run, ride, wheel or play a sport. To learn more, please visit their website. |
| Research Update | |
The development of new parks and the maintenance of existing parks are an important strategy to improve population levels of physical activity. Recent research examined what specific aspects of parks are considered important to make parks and recreation settings more desirable for being active - for example, facilities, amenities, park size and proximity. A study led by Kaczynski found that the presence of paved trails was the strongest predictor of park-based activity, followed by unpaved trails and wooded areas. Park size and average distance to park were less strongly associated with physical activity. More research is needed to examine the effects of parks and recreation settings on physical activity among different subgroups of the population (such as women and children) to help encourage physical activity among these groups.
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| Q&A | |
Q - I often hear that I should walk with a friend. What are the benefits of walking with someone else instead of on my own? Marilyn
A - Whether you choose to walk on your own or with a friend is a matter of personal preference, and there are benefits to both. Walking with a friend or with a group provides encouragement and a chance to socialize or meet new people. Also, knowing that someone else is expecting you helps you stick to your plans to get active. However, walking on your own gives you the flexibility to change the time or place of your walk to when it suits you.
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| Professional Development | | |
ParticipACTION Partner Forum - Webinar
July 21, 1:00-2:30 pm EST
National
The ParticipACTION Partner Forums are designed to facilitate knowledge exchange and sharing between partners. The theme of our July 21 forum is Accessibility and Inclusion, and will allow participants to connect, share insights and potentially collaborate on future initiatives. If you are interested in participating in our forum, or would like to receive information about our all of our 2010 Partner Forum dates and themes, please email forum@participACTION.com.
Principles of Healthy Child Development Workshop - HIGH FIVE
Session 100
Semiahmoo Library, Surrey, BC
HIGH FIVE is a highly recognized quality assurance program, consisting of training, resources and tools. It is designed to help program leaders and parents ensure that recreation and sport programs are delivered in ways that support the healthy development of children and provide environments and relationships that foster child development. On July 25, HIGH FIVE will be hosting a Principles of Healthy Child Development workshop. Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Design an activity plan that enhances a child's healthy development and sense of personal success.
- Practice tips and skills that can be applied to building healthy relationships in all areas of programming for children.
- Learn to create environments and spaces that foster healthy child development and self-esteem.
To learn more, and to register, please click here.
If you have an upcoming professional development opportunity that you would like featured, please contact info@participACTION.com |
| Partner Highlights and Events | |
Dance Up
Dates TBC
St. John's, NF Learn the easy moves for participation in Newfoundland Set Dancing. To learn more, please visit their website. Freewheelers
Wednesdays in July
Kimberley, BC
Visitors are welcome to join local mountain bikers for their weekly ride through the Nature Park. These outings are for fit riders and some routes may include technical sections. Participants should meet at the Overwaitea parking lot at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. The rides last two hours. For more information, please visit their website.
Salsa Sundays
Sundays in July
Winnipeg, MB Sundays in the summer get hotter at The Forks when Winnipeg's premier Salsa dance group, Salsa in the City spices up the end of the week. Experience a mix of live and DJ mix music, dance instruction for anyone and everyone, dance demonstrations and free dance. Leave your lawn chair at home and bring your dancing shoes! For more information, please visit their website. Mountain Bike Orienteering
July 21
Canmore, AB Discover the beauty of the Canmore Nordic Centre through orienteering. You can refine your navigation skills while mountain biking in Alberta's wonderful forests. Orienteering is a sport that can be done by all ages, all fitness levels and at all levels of experience. For more information, please visit their website. Mattawa River Canoe Race
July 24
North Bay, ON On July 24, come out and participate in the Mattawa River one-day 64 km canoe race. There are distances and difficulties for everyone, including competitive, recreational, voyageur and family categories. To learn more, please visit their website. |
| Success Stories | | |
Hi, my name is Leslie. For years, I have joined gyms/health clubs and not gone. I've spent quite a bit of money on memberships, but I just couldn't motivate myself to go after the first few weeks.
Two years ago, I decided I would fulfill a lifelong dream and try to learn to ride a horse. I'll admit, I had reservations and wondered, 'can a 51-year-old learn to ride?'
I soon learned that a lot of muscle strength is needed for this sport! Core strength, leg muscles, cardio and balance are developed while riding. Plus, you get a lot of exercise while catching the horse, mucking stalls, throwing hay bales, mucking stalls, sweeping the barn, feeding the horses (and dogs and cat), mucking stalls, grooming the horse, tack up, riding, cleaning the tack, mucking stalls, fixing things, dusting and mucking stalls! There is always something to do at the barn, and I just love it!
In April, my riding instructor and I participated in a 14-mile introductory ride with Ontario Competitive Trail Riding Association, and we came in under three and a half hours. We stopped on the trail to water the horses, but my horse just wanted a hug instead! Exercise, fresh air and fun... can't beat it!! Story submitted through our Wall of Inspiration.
If you would like to submit articles, events/programs or news to our e-newsletter, or for more information on ParticipACTION, please feel free to contact us by email at info@participACTION.com or visit our website at www.participACTION.com. |
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