The Trail chapter of KidSport has once again teamed up with community partners to add another ingredient to the flavourful Silver City Days, and at the same time create awareness and raise funds for local non-profit groups.
In what has been dubbed the 2012 Community Fest, KidSport in concert with Ferraro Foods, Teck Wellness and Learning, Rustic Crust Pizza, and the Warfield retired fire fighters will serve up some delicious fare, accompanied by entertainment from local musicians, and a kid zone featuring the Extreme Force inflatable obstacle course run by the Trail Stingrays Swim Club.
“We joined them because we wanted to add to the excitement of Silver City Days,” said KidSport chair Betty Ann Marino. “For us it was a great way of just building onto the event from a downtown perspective and bringing people downtown.”
Funds raised from the Fest will also go to KidSport, Sanctuary Trail and the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital Health Foundation.
Trail Parks and Rec director and KidSport coordinator Tricia Davison said she was surprised that more people didn’t take advantage of the program during spring registration for sports such as swimming, soccer, lacrosse, and baseball.
“We’ve probably received six or seven applications since Apr. 1,” said Davison. “We actually thought we’d receive more because baseball season was starting and soccer season was starting, so maybe that’s a good thing but we don’t know,”.
KidSport’s fiscal year officially ended on Mar. 31 so families that applied for funding last year are eligible to apply again.
In its first eight months of operation KidSport has helped close to 30 young athletes participate in a variety of sports. The KidSport organization helps families with financial barriers by kicking in for registration so area kids can play organized sport.
“We want to make sure that families, who might not be able to afford it, know we’re there and we’re committed to helping,” says Marino. “This (the Community Fest) is a way for us to build awareness around KidSport, what our raison d’etre is, and that we are here to help. Don’t let your kid sit on the sidelines let us help you.”
The Community Fest goes Saturday on Farwell St. across from Ferraro Foods from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Applications for KidSport funding can be obtained online at kidsporttrail.ca or at the Trail Aquatic Centre.