Hello from Halifax!

Who Rocks The House? BC Rocks the House!
By Team BC Mission Staff

That has been the recurring chant throughout the week-and-a-half that we have been competing at the Canada Winter Games. Accompanied by the waving of the popular scarves bearing the same slogan, along with a variety of noisemakers thoughtfully provided to the parents and fans of Team BC’s athletes, the words have been resonating around the venues. We wouldn’t say that is the reason that Team BC was farther ahead in the medal and flag point standings at the end of Week One than it was four years ago in Whitehorse. But it sure hasn’t hurt!

For most of the athletes this is their first experience of competing at a multi-sport Games, and they are taking the opportunity to get out to cheer on their fellow Team BC athletes. Our boxers have become some of Team BC’s most visible and vocal cheerleaders, and were instrumental in changing the usually staid atmosphere at table tennis.

Besides answering the question posed by our Games hosts, “What will you bring?” with solid performances by its athletes, Team BC also answered, “We are bringing the warmth of our hearts”, in the form of its legacy project, “Hands Across the Country”.

On the anniversary of the opening of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler Team BC held a media conference to present the hundreds donated items of warm clothing it had collected in BC, to the Boys & Girls Club of East Dartmouth. It was Team BC’s way of demonstrating its social responsibility.

Check out SIRC's Canada Games webpage for more information!

Aboriginal Youth Unite This Week in Prince Rupert, B.C.

The 9th Annual Aboriginal Youth Conference called “Gathering Our Voices 2011” is currently taking place this week in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. This is an excellent opportunity to promote healthy living in Aboriginal communities as well as to provide education to Aboriginal youth on many important topics.

Hosted by the British Columbia Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, the conference is just one of the exciting initiatives focusing on youth as young as 14 years of age. The unique conference attracts close to 1500 Aboriginal youth from across Canada to participate in networking and leadership development opportunities focusing on areas of great relevance to them --- health, language, culture, employment, education, learning for life, and the environment.

This year’s conference, which runs from 21-24 March 2011, focuses on two themes. The first one is “A Vision of Our Future” which includes over 40 workshops, a career and education fair, cultural and recreational activities, social events and motivational speakers during the four day conference.

Some of the workshops that are arranged for the youth range include:

• Decisions, Choices and Consequences BEFORE and AFTER.”
• “Gitxsan Aerobics – Learn, Laugh and Love the Drum”
• “Honouring our Past to Protect our Future. Traditional tobacco use and commercial tobacco misuse.”
• “Back to the Roots with Holistic Nutrition”
• Indigeneous Games & Sports

The second theme of the conference is a “Health Challenge” contest. The goal is to challenge youth to increase their daily physical activity. Between22 November 2010 and 30 January 2011, teams or individuals logged their fitness participation on Activity Tracking Charts where the winners with the most active time will be awarded prizes this week.

For more information on Aboriginal sport and physical activity contact SIRC!