Agincourt Community Services Association takes part in fifth annual RBC Sports Day in Canada
TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2014 /CNW/ - To mark this year's RBC Sports Day in Canada, a national celebration of sport, Agincourt Community Services Association is hosting a "Try a Sport" intergenerational table tennis event.
Agincourt Community Services Association is excited to partner with Toronto Foundation to deliver a community engagement event that helps enable children and senior residents to try table tennis. The event has been developed by residents for residents to participate in learning how to play table tennis. Residents will partake in two hours of instruction from 10am – 12pm, and followed by a community lunch to celebrate the event. The event will be held at 201 Chester Le Blvd. 2nd Floor of the Community Centre.
"The table tennis event on RBC Sports Day is a great way to build community engagement among seniors in the community and will provide an opportunity for residents to increase their social wellbeing and reduce isolation," says Lee Soda, Executive Director Agincourt Community Services Association.
Agincourt Community Services Association is also participating in RBC Sports Day as a Playing for Keeps Hub. These Hubs work with residents across the city to organize games in their neighbourhoods that engage newcomers, youth, and long-time residents. There are 17 Hubs, four of which have received "Try a Sport" grants from Toronto Foundation to host games on November 29.
Playing for Keeps was piloted through the 2012 Ontario Summer Games and named a key social legacy of the Games.
"Sport has the power to build community and get Canadians moving," said Elio Antunes, President and CEO of ParticipACTION, the national voice of physical activity and sport participation in Canada. "Fostering opportunities for sport at both local and national levels allows us to build a better and stronger society, while also becoming more physically active leading to healthier, more active lifestyles."
RBC Sports Day in Canada caps off a week of more than 1,800 local events and activities, such as community-wide festivals, try-it days, open houses, games, competitions, meet-and-greets, tournaments, fun runs, spectator events and pep rallies, and concludes with a special broadcast on CBC Television on November 29.
"Children need every opportunity to develop the confidence and skills they need to enable them to play and also recognizing there are lifelong lessons gained through sport," said Jane Broderick, Chief Brand and Communications Officer, RBC. "RBC Sports Day in Canada is part of our larger commitment to kids and youth through the RBC Believe in Kids Pledge, a five-year, $100 million promise to help one million kids with a wide range of programs."
"When sport is inclusive, fair and fun, Canadians and their respective communities are able to reap the benefits associated with a positive sport experience," said Karri Dawson, Director of True Sport Operations at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. "Good sport instills character in our kids, strengthens our communities and increases opportunities for personal excellence."
"It is wonderful to see the spirit of community-driven sport that RBC, ParticipACTION, and their partners have ignited across the country," said Rahul K. Bhardwaj, President & CEO, Toronto Foundation. "With the funding provided by the City of Toronto and Sport Alliance of Ontario for our "Try a Sport" grants, we will continue to support our P4K Hubs as they use play and games to create healthier, more active, and better connected communities through events such as RBC Sports Day."
About RBC Sports Day in Canada
RBC Sports Day in Canada, celebrated on Saturday, November 29, 2014, is a national celebration of the power of sport to build community and get Canadians moving. The official day caps off a week of more than 1,000 local events and includes a special broadcast on CBC Television.
RBC is the title sponsor of RBC Sports Day in Canada, which is presented by ParticipACTION, in partnership with CBC Television, ICI Radio-Canada Télé and True Sport, working in collaboration with national sporting organizations and their networks of coaches, athletes and sports enthusiasts across the country. RBC Sports Day in Canada is generously supported by Sport Canada and in BC through Healthy Families BC. For more information about RBC Sports Day in Canada, please visit: http://sportsday.cbc.ca
About Agincourt Community Services Association
Agincourt Community Services Association is a non-profit, multi-service agency at the heart of Agincourt addressing needs and empowering children, youth, newcomers, homeless and underserved communities to build a better tomorrow. Specifically, Agincourt Community Services Association addresses a variety of issues including systemic poverty, hunger, housing, homelessness, unemployment, accessibility and social isolation. Agincourt Community Services Association has been funded by all levels of government, several foundations, schools, local faith communities, and The United Way of Greater Toronto. Its strength remains in the original concept: To act as a bridge between people who need help and those who can provide it. For more information, please visit www.agincourtcommunityservices.com
Image with caption: "Playing for Keeps (CNW Group/Playing for Keeps)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20141126_C6679_PHOTO_EN_8539.jpg
SOURCE: Playing for Keeps
For further information: or to speak to a spokesperson, please contact: Lee Soda, Agincourt Community Services Association, 416-321-6912 Ext. 230, [email protected]
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