Fall 2021 was very busy with AMA Youth Run Club events all over the province. With fun runs from as far north as Fort McMurray and as far south as Siksika Nation, September and October saw 11 events in different school communities with over 2,400 participants!
Through an on-going partnership with Kitaskinaw Education Authority in Enoch Cree Nation, the AMA Youth Run Club has been an effective strategy to support physical activity for the school and community. Fall 2021 saw the launch of the new wellness hub, mâmawinitowin mîyowâyâwin, which in Cree translates to “a gathering place for wellness.” The hub was launched with an AMA Youth Run Club fun run where all 400 students participated. One of the many initiatives of the hub includes a weekly whole-school run/walk on Friday afternoons.
We were beyond grateful to have our Gold sponsor, Alberta Blue Cross, join us in Alexander First Nation for their annual turkey trot. The start/finish arch is always a big hit to make these runs even more exciting, but our friends at Alberta Blue Cross brought capes, which really became the highlight of the event. There were over 200 kids from kindergarten to grade 12 running varying distances depending on their ages.
Lastly, we were so excited to receive additional funding from the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association to support five Girls Only (GO!) Run Club programs. Creating girls-only opportunities allows girls to focus on age-appropriate skill development while building confidence and self-esteem in a fun and inclusive environment. Offering opportunities like GO! Run directs supports to girls and gender-diverse youth, where they are most needed, to ensure that all children and youth can participate in activities of their choosing. In addition to the five schools we are working with, we have seven additional schools running GO! programs, totaling around 360 girls participating in physical activity at their schools!
Youth Run Club would not be possible without the tremendous support of AMA member donations. Over $19,000 was donated in 2021. We are also deeply grateful for our sponsors Blue Cross and MD Financial Management for their continued support
Banner image credit: Manseok Kim, Pixabay.com