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| | ARPA's e-Newsletter |
February 2012
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In this issue ... 
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| Still Time to Register for the 2012 YDRS Symposium!
The 2012 YDRS Symposium will be held at the West Edmonton Mall's Fantasyland Hotel from March 11-13, 2012.
This year's conference focuses on the advancement of knowledge surrounding children and youth development through recreation.
Attendees will hear thought-provoking keynote addresses from recognized leaders in children and youth development, participate in informative, practitioner-focused sessions and workshops, and learn firsthand about children and youth development and its application in recreation.
Register for the 2012 YDRS Symposium .
For more information contact:
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Canadian Sport Policy Review
The draft of the Canadian Sport Policy 2.0 is now available for your review. Organizations and individuals are invited to submit their comments at www.sirc.ca/csprenewal on the draft policy before March 7, 2012. In particular we would like to hear:
* What are the strengths of the draft CSP 2.0?
* What are its weaknesses?
* How could these weaknesses be addressed?
* Do you have any additional comments and feedback?
Canadians have shown that they are passionate about sport. The renewed Canadian Sport Policy seeks to capture and embrace the value and importance of sport and advance the public policy outcomes inspired by sport in Canada.
On behalf of the Sustained Engagement and Collaboration (SEAC) Work Group, we would like to thank you for sharing your ideas and helping us to build the next Canadian Sport Policy.
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Live Right Now Challenge
In 2011, Live Right Now inspired Canadians to live healthier lives - and it
worked! Canadians were challenged to participate in the Million Pound Challenge and lose one-million collective pounds in six months - that goal was shattered by Canadians pledging more than 1,600,000 pounds!
On the heels of this incredible accomplishment, CBC, together with Radio-Canada, is looking for the Canadian community that most embodies the spirit of Live Right Now: a community where residents are motivated and supported to make healthier choices.
Because the health of Canadians is directly linked to the time we spend outside and connected to nature, three organizations have come together to offer the winning community a reward that will last for generations. The Canadian Wildlife Federation has teamed up with Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds and Parks Canada to award the leading Live Right Now community with a natural playground. Valued at more than $100,000, the custom designed and community built natural playground will reflect the natural heritage of the nearest national park and Parks Canada will help the winning community experience the national park nearest to them. This free naturalplayground will be designed with the winning community to meet their needs. Hewn from the trees, earth, and bedrock found across Canada, the natural playground will be a refuge for Canadian wildlife and a haven for children and neighbours to gather and play.
Live Right Now is on Twitter (@cbcLRN), Facebook (www.facebook.com/CBCLiveRightNow) and at www.LiveRightNow.ca.
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2012 Communities in Bloom Registration Deadline is March 31st, 2012
 The deadline to register your community for the 2012 Communities in Bloom campaign is March 31st, 2012. To register your community, download the registration form here. For more information, visit the Communities in Bloom website, or contact:
Dan Chambers
Provincial Coordinator Communities in Bloom Alberta Ph: (780) 458-5383 Fax: (780) 451-7915 Email: dchambers@arpaonline.ca
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Alberta Scholarships Available for Seventh Annual Youth Development Master's Institute
Kids at Hope Alberta is pleased to announce the availability of the following Youth Development Master's Institute Scholarships:
Community Leadership Scholarships
Three full tuition scholarships are available to individuals committed to the belief that all children are capable of success. Successful applicants will be champions of the Kids at Hope message committed to making Alberta's communities "at-hope" communities.
Scholarship Criteria: Available to all candidates living in Alberta. Complete Master's registration and submit a one page (300 words max-12 point font) description of candidate's efforts to improve their local community through Kids at Hope. Also please include one Letter of Reference.
Scholarship Amount: $1,500.00
Deadline: March 2, 2012
Rick Curtis/Alberta Recreation and Parks Scholarship
Rick served for many years as the visionary CEO of the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association. Rick identified Kids at Hope as the strategy needed to support youth development efforts in Alberta and throughout Canada. Due to Rick's leadership ARPA and Kids at Hope have formed a major international partnership.
Scholarship Criteria: Available to volunteers and professionals representing the recreation and parks community from Alberta, Canada, including, non school youth serving organizations. Complete Master's registration and submit a one page (300 words max-12 point font) description outlining candidate's commitment to support the success of all children. Also please include one Letter of Reference.
Scholarship Amount: $750.00
Deadline: March 2, 2012
Please send your completed applications to ltink@arpaonline.ca.
For details about the Seventh Annual Youth Development Masters Institute visit http://www.kidsathope.org/training_pd.html#masters
For more information please contact:
Lisa Tink
780-415-1745
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Cenovus Kids at Hope Alberta Tour
Cenovus and ARPA and pleased to support Rick Millers Kids at Hope Alberta Tour.
Rick Miller, the president and founder of Kids at Hope, will be doing the Cenouvs Kids at Hope Alberta Tour from March 2-13, 2012. During the tour Rick will be delivering trainings to select communities across Alberta. The tour will end with Rick's Keynote address at the 2012 Youth Development Through Recreation Services Symposium.
View the 2012 schedule and find a community near you!
For more information please contact: Lisa Tink Manager, Children and Youth Programs (780) 644-4797 ltink@arpaonline.ca |
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Alberta Introduces HIGH FIVE®Registered Organizations
Register your organization to be a part of the HIGH FIVE® program
A registered organization can be any organization involved in providing sport and recreation programs to children aged 6 to 12. A Registered organization is committed to the HIGH FIVE® standard, ensuring that every child is their programs has a positive sport and recreation experience.
Registered Organizations pay an annual registration fee based on the number of children aged 6 to 12 they provide services for. This fee allows the organization consultation and support, access to exclusive products and services, reduced rates on all HIGH FIVE® Trainings, and use of the HIGH FIVE® trademark and copyright materials.
Registered Organizations are new to Alberta and as a result HIGH FIVE® Alberta will not be charging fees for 2012.
Registered Organizations will receive the above benefits with no annual fee. Organizations, who do not register by the end of March 2012 may be charged non-registration rates for requested trainings.
The implementation of Registration Organization Fees will begin in January of 2013.
For more information please view our HIGH FIVE® Alberta Handbook.
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Communities ChooseWell 2012 Registration
Registration is still open for the 2012 Communities ChooseWell program year.
Communities ChooseWell is an initiative that encourages healthy eating and active living in Alberta communities by supporting, empowering, and recognizing these communities for their efforts to promote healthy living. The initiative provides educational resources, seed funding, partnership opportunities and recognition for communities across Alberta, as well as running several challenges each year to promote the "eat right, be active" goal.
Communities registered before the deadlines below receive additional support. All ChooseWell communities receive a toolkit, access to e-learning modules and webinars, opportunities to receive seed funding for healthy living initiatives, invitations to regional ChooseWell forums, and more.
Register your community online for free on the ChooseWell webpage.
Promotional Toolkit Registration Deadline: Wednesday, February 29, 2012. Communities registered on or before this date will receive a promotional toolkit to support their efforts to promote healthy living.
For more information, visit the website or contact the Communities ChooseWell team at (780) 643-1252 or (toll free) 1-877-544-1747 or email choosewell@arpaonline.ca.
Communities ChooseWell is managed by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) and supported by Alberta Health and Wellness as part of the Government of Alberta's Healthy U campaign.
Communities ChooseWell™ and Healthy U™ are Official Trademarks of Alberta Health and Wellness and are used herein with permission under license. These logos may not be reproduced, altered or used without permission from Alberta Health and Wellness.
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Communities ChooseWell 2012 Launch Event
Communities ChooseWell is celebrating the beginning of their 2012 program year with a launch event on March 8th in Claresholm.
The event will run from 1:30pm to 4:00pm at the Claresholm Senior Social Centre (5009, 2nd St East). Everyone is welcome to attend, and meet with Alberta community leaders, the Communities ChooseWell team, and other special guests, and take in presentations from keynote speaker Barb Thomas from Love2Eat in Calgary (www.love2eat.ca), and teens from the Claresholm Teen Centre.
Communities ChooseWell is managed by ARPA and funded by Alberta Health and Wellness as a part of the Government of Alberta's Healthy U Campaign.
Communities ChooseWell™ and Healthy U™ are Official Trademarks of Alberta Health and Wellness and are used herein with permission under license. These logos may not be reproduced, altered or used without permission from Alberta Health and Wellness.
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 Coming to a Community near you!
In partnership with ACE, these rural Alberta communities are hosting a free one-day workshop on Community Building! Here is an update on the upcoming workshops in your area:
- Hanna: March 1 and 2, 2012
- Carstairs: March 10, 2012
- Clear Hills County: March 15, 2012
Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about what it means to be an Active, Creative, and Engaged Community, gain an understanding of community leadership and community building, purchase a Community Building Toolkit that provides a variety of community development related tools, connect with like-minded individuals who are interested in enhancing quality of life, and provide inspiration for community leaders to take action.
Who should attend? Individuals or groups working in the quality of life sector such as: elected officials, business owners, youth, volunteers, and practitioners working in recreation, health, social services, justice, education, tourism, arts, heritage, culture, and others.
For more information contact:
Rose Carmichael
ACE Community Liaison
rcarmichael@aceleaders.ca
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Canadian Certified Playground Inspector certification available
The Canadian Playground Safety Institute is holding two combined Theory/Practical certification course sessions in Alberta in the spring of 2012. Participants completing the combined Theory/Practical course will achieve their Canadian Certified Playground Inspector certification.
The course locations are as follows:
Fort McMurray (Municipality of Wood Buffalo) - April 24-27, 2012
To download a registration form for this course - click here.
Calgary - April 30-May 3, 2012.
To download a registration form for this course - click here.
You can find more information about this course, and a registration form under the course schedules tab at cpsionline.ca or call the Canadian Playground Safety Institute office toll-free at 1-877-536-2338.
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Alberta's communities gain on-the-ground support to fight gang activity
Alberta communities most impacted by gang activity, particularly those in rural, remote and Aboriginal communities, can now apply for a one-time grant to support programs aimed at reducing gang crime and violence through effective prevention and intervention.
Programs that encourage and support community-based action to reduce gang crime and violence will benefit from a $1-million commitment from Alberta's Civil Forfeiture Office.
"This is what meaningful crime prevention looks like. It's about engaging community leaders with proven actions for mobilizing their peers and affecting local change. This has always been at the heart of the Safe Communities Initiative," said Premier Alison Redford. "These programs are making a lasting difference in our communities and I applaud their efforts."
Priority will be given to projects that directly impact young people, and their families, at risk of becoming involved in gangs. This includes projects and programs that involve pro-social and life skills-based activities, particularly those that occur in schools and community centres during critical hours after school.
"Gang activity affects all Albertans and localized crime prevention programs are one of the best ways we can reduce the impact on our communities," said Verlyn Olson, Q.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney General. "The hard work of the police and Civil Forfeiture Office are not only disrupting criminal activity but also making a real and positive impact on vulnerable youth throughout the province."
This funding commitment is another significant step in the implementation of Alberta's Crime Prevention Framework and, particularly, the Alberta Gang Reduction Strategy, which are both key elements of Alberta's Safe Communities Initiative.
The announcement was made at the Alberta Gang Reduction Training Symposium in Edmonton. More than 200 community leaders from communities that are experiencing or concerned about gang-related issues were invited to the event to learn from some of North America's top community practitioners about how to develop effective, local, gang-reduction strategies.
Through the Civil Forfeiture Office, property gained through criminal acts is seized and if the court action is successful, forfeiture is ordered. Proceeds accrued through the sale of forfeited property are now being used to fund victims' groups and crime prevention programs.
For more information about the Alberta Gang Reduction Strategy please visit http://bit.ly/zvAxsn.
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Systems Mapping of Wicked Problems Workshop
Foresight Canada is offering a workshop entitles "Systems Mapping of Wicked Problems" on March 22-23 at the Delta Calgary Airport Hotel.
Wicked problems are defined as problems that "are highly resistant to resolution" and "cannot be dealt with within our dominant logics, mental models, sectors and organizational silos."
All ARPA members interested in attending will receive the 'FC Family Rate' of 1/3 off the regular price.
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ACE Communities Webinar: Work/Life Balance
ACE Communities is hosting a webinar on February 23rd at 10:00am MST entitled Work/Life Balance: Ways to Get There.
Work/Life Balance is something worth striving towards because it offers us the opportunity to live to the fullest yet maintain our mental and physical health. If you want to explore ways to achieving balance in your work and your personal life then this webinar is for you.
This webinar is available for free! The webinar is almost full, so register now by clicking here. |
Ask the ACE Team!
Do you have burning questions about ACE Communities or about community building in general? Then email ACE at jnaclia@aceleaders.ca and we will send your question onto our team of ACE leaders, contractors, coaches, ACE Communities and ARPA staff members. Each month, a new 'ASK ACE' question will be featured.
Click hereto see past questions! We look forward to hearing from you!
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Recent Learnings from the Grassroots of Alberta
ACE Communities has learned a great deal from working with 50+ communities in rural Alberta. Knowing our work has only been made possible as the result of hard earned taxpayers dollars and the generous donations of our sponsors, we want to make sure we share the learnings that have evolved as the result of what is, in essence, applied research about community change.
To this end, we have recently compiled a report that reflects both the fact based and intuitive information gathered by our core team, talented contractors, and smart and hardworking local leaders.
Rather than overwhelm you with all the data at once we thought it might be best to launch them as a series of mini bulletins.
We'd like to like begin with ACE's KEY LEARNING #1: Albertans Want to Make a Difference.
ACE Communities has identified and tapped into a hunger and desire among many Albertans who want to serve the public good and ultimately make a difference in their communities. Motivated by deep collective values and a desire to be part of something meaningful, relevant, and greater than themselves, there is also a sense that the current system isn't working and that as Albertans, "We can do better".
To read more about ACE's KEY LEARNING #1, click here!
And, see this link to read the entire "ACE Communities Learnings Report" for a limited time.
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2012 Recreation Industry Awards
On Thursday, May 10th, 2012 the Recreation for Life Foundation (RFLF), it's allied partner, the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA), and their many sponsors and supporters will present the second biennial Recreation Industry Awards of Excellence gala. This event will be hosted in Calgary at Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
The Recreation for Life Foundation Recreation Industry Awards of Excellence is a province-wide initiative that recognizes the achievements of individuals or teams within the corporate, business and private sectors who symbolize the very best in our field and communities.
Using recreation as a catalyst, the winners are those who help contribute to healthier and more active communities by utilizing and applying an understanding of community commitment and development strategies.
Through these awards, recognition will contribute to community leaders increased citizen engagement, higher levels of participation in active living, recreation, and sport, healthier people reflecting balanced lifestyles, and more diverse and culturally rich communities.
The RFLF is presently seeking nominations in all award categories. Nomination Deadline: Monday, March 19, 2012.
For more information contact:
Kathleen Badry
Fund Development Manager
kbadry@recreationforlife.org
www.Awards.RecreationforLife.org
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Recreation for Life Foundation - 10th Annual Charity Golf Tournament
The Recreation for Life Foundation (RFLF) is busily preparing for the 10th Anniversary Charity Golf Tournament 2012. Please mark your calendars now and get your requests in earlier so we may secure your participation.
Tournament Details:
Location: Derrick Golf & Winter Club Golf Course
3500 - 119 Street, Edmonton, AB
Date: Monday, June 11th, 2012
Format: Texas Scramble
Lunch & Registration: 11:00 a.m.
Shot Gun Start: 1:00 p.m.
Banquet Dinner: 7:00 p.m. (includes program & silent auction)
Registration Fee: $300 / golfer ($50 eligible for tax receipt)
Banquet Only: $55 / person
Luncheon Only: $25 / person
How to Register:
Register online at www.Golf.RecreationforLife.org where you can fill out the PDF form and send it electronically or you can download and print it out and send it via fax or in the mail.
You can also view the golf brochure and view a list of sponsorship opportunities.
Last year we sold out by the end of April and anticipate to be sold out again.
2012 Title Sponsor.....
 This year, we are very pleased to announce CenturyVallen has come on board as our Naming Title Sponsor. CenturyVallen is also celebrating their 75th Anniversary in 2012 and is proud to commemorate this by supporting the Recreation for Life Foundation's 10th Anniversary Charity Golf Tournament.
Identified by their longevity and established presence within the Canadian business community, CenturyVallen has been, and continues to be, one of the most respected and reliable industrial goods and service suppliers in the country.
Unrivalled proficiency in the business-to-business supply of safety, janitorial and MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) products and related technical services has contributed to over seventy years of sustained growth and prosperity.
In addition to an extensive supply business, CenturyVallen offers comprehensive commodity related service programs, vending solutions, mobile project trailers, professional application assistance and product related training. CenturyVallen is a member of the Sonepar Canada family, which in turn is a member of the Sonepar Group, the world's largest privately-held electrical distributor. Global resources and reach, combined with credible local market experience, allow CenturyVallen to provide customer service excellence, sophisticated cost-saving programs, and inventory management mastery.
If you have any questions please contact:
Kathleen Badry
Recreation for Life Foundation
Suite 202, 15023 - 123 Avenue SW
Edmonton, AB T5V 1J7
Email:
Phone: 780-422-8103
Fax: 780-643-1776
Thank-you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you at the tournament! (back to top)
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Upcoming Events
YDRS Symposium
Date: March 11-13, 2012
Location: Fantasy Land Hotel, Edmonton AB
Urban Wildlife: Challenges and Management
Date: April 18-19, 2012
Location: Rocky Mountain Prestige Inn, Cranbrook, BC
Recreation Industry Awards of ExcellenceDate: May 11, 2012 Time: 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Location: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, Calgary, AB CenturyVallen Recreation for Life Charity Golf Tournament Date: June 11, 2012 Location: The Derrick Golf and Winter Club, Edmonton, AB
S.A.F.E. Youth Conference
Date: April 13-15, 2012
Location: Camp Warwa (45 min. West of Edmonton)
2012 Senior Services Conference
Date: September 13-14, 2012
Location: Fantasyland Hotel, Edmonton
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REConnect is a monthly e-newsletter published by the Alberta Recreation & Parks Association. For more information, please contact arpa@arpaonline.ca.
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