THUNDER BAY — There are hundreds of families in Thunder Bay who can’t really afford to put their children in extra-curricular activities.
Thanks to PRO Kids, hundreds of children each year don’t have to miss out.
However, it costs money to run such an expansive program.
Thanks to the annual Power to Play fundraising campaign, and the generosity of donor Cliff Friesen, who matched $25,000 in donations, this year’s expenses are more than 60 per cent covered.
Friesen, who played in two Canadian fast-pitch championships in his youth, said sports has played a huge part in his life and the donation was his way to ensure that anyone who wants to take part in sports or arts programs can do so.
“It’s helped me a great deal with my life and I can see when young people have those opportunities, they personally have growth. You have to remember they are our future. When they have those experiences, and learn to play as a team and never give up, it’s phenomenal what you see happen in a community like ours,” Friesen said.
The donation was made in part to help celebrate PRO Kids’ 25th anniversary as an organization.
Laurie Daniele, executive director of the program, said the gift was much appreciated by PRO Kids, who need to raise $110,000 throughout the year to help cover costs.
The payoff is phenomenal, she added.
“We offer everything from art to yoga — so hockey, gymnastics, they’re very popular programs; swim lessons, every kid needs that. There are art programs. There are performing arts programs, so singing and dancing and all that kind of stuff,” Daniele said.
“It’s everything from sports to leadership, like Brownies and Scouts. We put kids in everything. It helps them develop into adults who are conscientious, who perhaps may volunteer for those organizations when they’re adults. As they become involved with their activities they meet other people, they’re influenced by other adults and they see more in this world and how the community operates together.”
In total, the Power to Play campaign raised $68,408, well above their $50,000 goal.
The donation from Friesen helped immensely, Daniele said, as did $5,000 from White Pine Electric and help from local celebrities like the Lockyer Boys, curler Krista McCarville and retired NHLer Carter Hutton.
“It just made things a little bit easier for us to fundraise. That was a huge gift, a very much appreciated gift in celebration of our 25th anniversary. It means a lot to PRO Kids to receive this gift of $25,000.”
More information about PRO Kids can be found at www.prokidsthunderbay.ca.
