Around the City of Greater Sudbury this summer, disabled kids are getting a unique opportunity to get active and have fun.
The opportunity comes courtesy of duffel-sized bag which is
full of adaptive sports and leisure equipment designed with one
thing in mind: fun for all.
The Leisure Program within the City of Greater Sudbury
purchased the bag from Get Active Now.
Get Active Now is a dynamic, forward-thinking charity focused
on improving the lives of Ontarian residents in our communities
with disabilities. They inspire, encourage and support all
Ontarians of all abilities to Get Active Now by providing
information and practical tools on healthy living, with
particular focus on recreation, sports, and physical
fitness.
The bag is overstuffed with sports equipment such as different
sized and coloured balls, catching gear, ropes, rings and a
binder loaded with a wide variety of games and activities
specifically geared towards youths with a disability.
"The whole point of this bag is to get children from the
community who have a disability to participate in fun games and
get them physically active," said Jaime Dechaine, leisure
program supervisor. "It's going to be a great addition to our
community and something that will really make a difference in
the lives of people with a disability. With the amount of
equipment and ways to enjoy them, the possibilities are
endless."
Dechaine and other city workers had the bag at the Canada Games
Day celebration at Laurentian University earlier this
summer.
Although no kids with a disability were on hand to give the
equipment a true test, the leisure workers got kids to play
games with their non-dominant hands and challenged them to get
creative.
"The stuff we did was a hit and the kids really enjoyed the
activities," said Dechaine.
City staff were trained on how to use the equipment. It wasn't
hard work.
"We trained through Get Active Now...the senior staff, who's in
charge of the city's summer programs got to know how to utilize
this tool," said Kendra Andrews, leisure supervisor. "We just
basically played with the equipment and learned what they can
really do. We were like kids...we probably had more fun than
most would. The thing that stood out was the fact the equipment
can be adapted to be used in any sport. We learned how to adapt
any game so every person can be involved."
The equipment is user friendly.
"The equipment appeals to all senses...there's bright colours
and soft textures," said Andrews. "There's an easy to follow
manual and a lot of fun games to do. For an organization or
individuals who may not have a lot of resources to provide
activities, this is a great way for them to offer fun stuff to
do. There's one ball...people can do over 100 different
activities with it. It's not just for one day, but
everyday."
Anyone interested in seeing what the adaptive sports kit can do
can call the city at 674-445, ext. 2446.
"We totally encourage people to give it a try...it's here and
we want people to use it," said Dechaine.
