Submitted by Morgan Clark, BPDS Secondary Students Council
BPDS Secondary students are very excited for the new addition to our gym equipment. This is the first time BPDS has had a fully functioning cardio and weight room. Senior leadership students: Mason Arps, Lucas Hellyer, Morgan Clark, Zach Rodgers, Stacey Thompson, and Christianna Reimer-Catteau have been heavily involved with the fundraising and organization of our “Try Day,” that provided a great opportunity for the 27 gym students, 18 girls of the senior and junior volleyball teams and 14 Nordic skiers. “Try Day” basic safety and preliminary training of the machines and weight equipment was led by teachers Mrs. Jen Cameron and Ms. Ashley Myles. This equipment will be heavily used by our Nordic skiing tea, volleyball and soccer teams for dryland training.
At the time of publication, we have received 12 community donations, totalling $4,000. We would like to sincerely thank the following community members and businesses: Boyle Concrete, Bruce Anchor, Hellyer’s Foodland, Ferndale Lion’s Head & District Lions Club, Weatherhead Plumbing, Scott’s Home Hardware, Collins Excavating, Clark’s Marine and ATV Service, Dog Days Painting, Ladies Legion Auxiliary, and Wilson’s Building Centre. BPDS is very fortunate to be part of a community like ours! We are greatly appreciative to everyone who has supported us!
With the support we have received, we were able to purchase a skier machine, 2 brand new spin bikes (we now have a total of five bikes), two new squat racks with 2 Olympic bars, 2 full sets of 250-pound weights, new kettle bells, new dumb-bells and new resistance bands. We are fortunate that our principal, Mr. Matt Pickett, has arranged for us to acquire 3 weight machines from the old Chesley District High School, which will be arriving before Christmas. Our next goal is to continue fundraising to purchase a rowing machine and replace 2 older spin bikes with higher quality bikes.
In addition to community support, BPDS has received a Ministry of Education ‘Try Day’ grant of $700 to introduce a new activity (the weight room), to our athletic program. Both the Ministry (Try Day activity) and OFSAA, the coordinating body for the grant, value the importance of fitness and sport for today’s youth, and hope, through these Try Day programs, to motivate young people to participate in sport and physical activity during and after their high school days. This support for 125 schools across the province, enables schools to enhance their physical education programs with new, more inclusive activities, to adapt to the demographic changes in many areas of the province, to provide leadership opportunities for students, and to promote the values of fitness and activity among the students.
Like any ongoing project, we are always willing to accept further supports to make our dream come true. If you need information about how to donate to our project, please feel free to contact the school at 519-793-3211 and ask for Ms. Cameron or Ms. Myles. You can receive a tax receipt for your donation to our program.
