Active Play program recognized with national award
The Swift Current United Way Active Play program was honoured with the Speaking of Food and Healthy Living Award on June 18th.
The national award recognizes organizations that promote healthy living for Canadians. The Active Play program won for it’s after school promotion of physical activity and healthy eating, and was awarded $5,000 for their efforts.
“It’s very exciting and a proud moment here, where we can reflect on the success of the program and be recognized nationally,” program co-ordinator Val Choo-Foo said after a local reception at The Centre. “When we were walking across that stage in Ottawa it felt pretty good to know that the small city of Swift Current was recognized for our after school program.”
Currently in it’s second year, the United Way Active Play caters to 455 students from grades 1-5 in four Swift Current elementary schools. The $5,000 prize money will help expand the program.
“When we filled out the application a part of it was ‘if you were the national winner you would receive $5,000. What would you do with that?’” Choo-Foo explained. “We discussed it and said that because it’s so successful we’d like to expand it.”
Choo-Foo said they haven’t decided exactly what an expanded program will look like. Right now their two options are to extend it into the rural areas around Swift Current, or to simply expand the current city program to included students in grades 6-8.
“We’ll have to sit down and make and confirm those plans,” she said. “Hopefully (we’ll) expand the program because it’s been so successful.”
Choo-Foo credited the success of the program to local leaders, organizers and community groups. She said they helped her get the program off the ground and find some di- rection when it struggled during it’s first year.
“To have a quality program you really need those buy-ins from partners and it’s just fantastic to see everyone here tonight and to be able to celebrate together,” she said.
Some of the students who benefited from the program were also on hand to talk about how the program impacted them. Students Aspen Thomson, 11, and Chase Lepage, 9, mentioned how much they enjoyed the activities, and how it helped them.
Afterwards Community Recreation Co-ordinator Kelly Schafer spoke the merits of the program. She said it stacks up particularly well when compared to similar attempts in other Saskatchewan towns and cities.
“I’m not just saying that because I’m in Swift Current either,” Shafer said to a chorus of chuckles.
That’s exactly the kind of thing Choo-Foo wants to hear. She said it’s always nice to be recognized, but their main focus hasn’t changed.
“We know many of them (children) are going home and are inactive, unsupervised,