The community is teaming up again for the annual ParticipACTION Community Better Challenge, hoping to win grants through physical activity. The event gets Canadians across the country moving, and awards those who log the most work-out minutes.
“Now more than ever, physical activity and sport participation needs to be prioritized to help residents and Canadians alike stay healthy in mind, body and community spirit,” says the event’s website. “The 2021 challenge will be extra fun as ParticipACTION celebrates its 50th anniversary!”
A committee with representatives from the Mission Parks Recreation and Culture, the Mission Sports Council, the Mission School District and Parent Advisory Council, Fraser Health and Fraser House will try to repeat the success of 2019, when the district won the BC Community Award and were awarded $10,000.
The top scoring community in the competition will be awarded a prize $100,000, and crowned Canada’s most-active, however a range of prizes can be won. The winnings are then funnelled back to the people through grants for local physical activity and sports initiatives.
When Mission won in 2019, citizens were able to log 6 million minutes of physical activity during the challenge period, and over 50 organizations took part. This year the committee hope to break those numbers.
Applications for grants (up to $1,000) are being accepted from now until Feb. 25 on the ParticipACTION website. The grants are open to all organizations, schools, sports groups and workplaces who track their minutes as a team.
All group physical activity counts, such as in-person and virtual workouts, practices and even lunch-time walks – every minute tracked goes towards the community’s score.
The committee is encouraging community groups to plan activities for June, when individuals can track their personal activity through the ParticipACTION app.
Community groups may have to get creative with activities due to COVID-19 and the local health restrictions, the website says.
RELATED: Mission wins BC Community Award as part of ParticipACTION challenge
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