Tickets are on sale now for KidSport Delta’s annual Gift of Sport gala, and organizers are hoping to raise $100,00 to help even more local kids from low-income families access youth sports.
The sixth annual casino-themed fundraiser takes place on Saturday, April 27 at Tsawwassen Springs, with speakers, a silent auction and gambling tables where guests can vie for one of two sets of tickets to the Justin Timberlake concert at Rogers Arena on April 29.
Global BC news anchor Jason Pires will emcee the event, with retired KidSport BC director Pete Quevillon the night’s keynote speaker. Joining them will be “sports ambassadors” like football legends Bobbi Singh, Claudell Louis, Jevon Cottoy and Greg Frers; and Delta Olympians Darcy Marquardt, Richard Hortness, Aaron Lattimer and Joy Frer.
Tickets are on sale now at 32auctions.com/giftofsportdelta, and the online auction opens April 19. All money raised through the event stays in Delta to benefit local kids.
“We want to get kids into sports. It keeps an active, healthy lifestyle,” KidSport Delta chair Carlene Lewall said in a press release. “Whether it is organized sport or recreation, sport is just the means, so if they participate and they like that sport, there is more of a tendency to pick up a softball or a soccer ball and play after school or play with their friends because they have some skills.”
A release from the organization notes sport is not only important for physical health, but instills in children a sense of belonging, acceptance, goal setting, time management and various other social and mental attributes, helping them to be healthy in all aspects of life — a proactive measure that KidSport takes seriously.
“Sports teach life skills that we need. If we have healthy and active kids, we are going to have fewer problems with depression and mental health — it is a known fact. There is so much being spent on fixing problems. Let’s get into the prevention mode. This is only one way, but it can be a big way,” Lewall said.
KidSport is a national program that provides financial aid to families who cannot afford to have their children participate in organized sports. Each region of B.C. has its chapter that raises and provides funds for children within their city.
The Delta chapter provides grants of up to $700 per child per calendar year to help cover the costs of registration fees so that all kids aged 18 and under in Delta can play a season of sport. Applications are open now at kidsportcanada.ca/british-columbia/delta.
In 2023, KidSport Delta provided funding for 220 children, giving $89,500 to support local participation in youth sports — a 40 per cent increase from 2022.
The organization helped 70 kids get into soccer at a cost of $26,780, and another 34 to try gymnastics ($10,429). Other sports grant recipients took part in include hockey ($10,843 for 21 kids), football ($4,441 for 18 kids), baseball ($2,835 for 12 kids), figure skating ($3,783 for 11 kids), cheerleading ($5,535 for 11 kids) and school sports ($4,360 for nine kids).
Lewall notes that so far this year, funding applications are double what had been received by this time in 2023.
“The increase we have seen in applications is quite overwhelming,” Lewall said in an email to the Reporter.