Taking strides … making strides in N.L.
Initiative seeks donations of sneakers, sports equipment to help disadvantaged youth participate in activities
Every child deserves a chance to be young.
Circumstances don’t always allow for that to happen.
But a local organization, founded nearly a decade ago, has worked diligently to try to help those youth to be young, to have a chance to participate in sports and other activities, and it relies on the kindness and generosity of the local community to make that happen.
Taking Strides, founded nine years ago by Susan Matthews, her daughter Rebecca and Stephanie Young and Doreen Shapter, collects used sports equipment. With support from Athletics North East (ANE), a local running club in St. John’s, the group has collected thousands of gently used running shoes and sports equipment over the years.
The initiative will host its 9th Annual Equipment Drive on Monday, June 11.
“Taking Strides could not be successful without the support of our local running club ANE, they allow us to attend all the race kit pick up locations for their club races and encourage the running community to donate their used running shoes when they come to pick up their kits,’’ Matthews said.
“We often get sports equipment dropped off as well at the kit pick up. I take the donations from all ANE races to my house and arrange for drop-off the following week to REAL. All items are donated to the (municipally operated) REAL Program, which uses the equipment in its community programs,’’ she added.
Anyone who has items that wish to donate to the program can drop them off at a host of City of St. John’s facilities between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. That includes City Hall, the recreation division at 1 Crosbie Place, and locations such as the Mews Centre, Paul Reynold’s Centre, Shea Heights Community Centre, Kilbride Community Centre and the Southlands Community Centre.
After 4:30 p.m., items can be dropped off at the City of St. John’s location at 1 Crosbie Place.
“Every year, Taking Strides, the organization that I founded with my daughter Rebecca (Matthews), hosts an equipment drive and all equipment
is donated to the REAL Program,’’ Taking Strides cofounder Susan Matthews said Friday. “They are very appreciative of the equipment and this assists with getting more kids involved.”
In the past, the drive has been
done around the dates of the Tely 10 road race, working with the race committee to collect running shoes when participants came to pick up their race kits, but this year Matthews said the equipment drive will be held June 11.
“We are hosting it earlier this year, hoping to attract some graduating high school students to donate their equipment, especially if they are not going to be using it after graduation,” she said.
The program has been successful in the past and has generated truckloads of donations.
“We have a passion for active living, for inclusion. All children should have the same opportunity to play a game they love with the friends,’’ Matthews said.
“We care about the environment and we know so much used sports equipment gets thrown out and not recycled. So, donating used equipment allows the equipment to have new life on a field or in a gym, where it is meant to be and not in our landfill,’’ she added.
She said getting the message out is important and once members of the public know the initiative is scheduled, they have been extremely supportive of the cause, supporting youth in the communities of St. John’s and surrounding areas.
“It is my passion to ensure children and teens are active and have the proper equipment to participate in community sports,” she said.
Items that are being sought include running shoes, running gear, donations to help purchase equipment for various programs they are associated with, such as sparring gear, hockey gear, dance shoes and outfits, soccer cleats (large sizes in particular – sizes 10 and above), shorts and shin guards and baseball gear (bats, gloves, cleats helmets etc.).
So, if you are spring cleaning look in your back closets, basements and garages and donate those previously loved and used ball gloves, bats and skates.
Individuals who are investing in new equipment are asked to donate their used items and high school graduates who may not be using their cleats, sneakers, dance shoes and other equipment are asked to consider passing them along.
Collecting equipment can also be an event for host of organized sports to rally the teams and encourage them to donate their unused equipment.
Anyone wishing more information can contact Taking Strides via email to takingstridesnl@gmail.com