Letter from Bob Jackson Kidsport-Richmond Chapter

For the Kidsport Application click here

Community Sport Colleagues:

Social and economic obstacles can prevent some young people in Richmond from participating in organized sport.

The Richmond Chapter of KidSport™ was established in 2007, to serve the community of Richmond, and to help families over come the financial obstacles, such as sport registration fees.

We believe that the primary goal of any sport program for youth is for the child to have the to participate in a safe and fun environment, to learn the sport of their choice, to benefit from their participation and to have a positive experience.

The Richmond Chapter of KidSport™ is dedicated to assist the youth who reside in Richmond. Through an application process, families who cannot afford the sport registration fees and possibly would otherwise not be able to have their children participate in a season of sport.

In 2010, the Richmond Chapter of KidSport™ was able to provide financial assistance to over 150 Richmond youth and our chapter provided funding for the community sports organizations of just over $25,000. As of September, 2011 we again have provided over $25,000 for again over 150 youth.

It is the understanding of our Chapter that the registration fees for most activities have increased significantly the last couple of years due to the the new HST tax, increased fees for officials and the cost of uniforms & equipment. For some sports the cost of facility rent has increased drastically. At our September monthly meeting of the Richmond Chapter of KidSport™, we moved to increase the maximum amount that we will provide to an applicant. The Richmond Chapter of Kidsport™ has increased the maximum limit of a grant from $200 to $250 for the rest of 2011.

We want to ensure that all Richmond youth in need can still have access to the positive experience of participating in sport and another physical activity.

At our Chapter Meeting this week our group moved that we should try to assist more young people and to reach out to as many community sport organizations as possible. So I have attached the Richmond Chapter of KidSport™ Application Form. Some community sport organizations have a copy of the Richmond Chapter KidSport™ Application Form on their web site. So I would like to ask these sports to post the revised application form that now indicates that we will provide grants up to $250.

If your sport has a web site I would request that you consider posting the KidSport™ Application Form for the Richmond Chapter on your web site.

Secondly in the next few days we will have a new web site the Richmond Chapter of KidSport™. This web site will provide information about KidSport and a blank copy of the KidSport™ Application Form. So once this web site is up, we would request that the community sports in Richmond consider putting a link to our web site on your web site so we can make it easier for parents to access information about KidSport™ and the KidSport™ Application Form.

The future address for this web site will be:

www.kidsportrichmond.ca

Thank-you for your assistance in helping our Chapter spread the information to the families in Richmond about KidSport™.

Yours in sport,

Bob Jackson

Registrar

KidSport™ - Richmond Chapter