Get ready to paddle with a purpose as KidSport Moose Jaw prepares for its annual Kayak for KidSport (K4K) event this July with the aim of making waves in the name of getting Moose Jaw’s youth active.
K4K is scheduled for Saturday, July 13 at the Kiwanis Pavilion and runs from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. with coffee, cold beverages, and assorted snacks available for kids of all ages who are invited to attend free kayak and canoe demonstrations before the main event which begins at 11 a.m. and runs until noon.
The 11 a.m. corporate challenge will be followed by a barbecue lunch which is free for families in attendance and prizes are available to be won.
KidSport Moose Jaw has been a proud member of the community for nearly 15 years, and the organization’s committee strives to enable kids facing financial barriers to participate in organized sports.
The charitable organization receives funding through KidSport Sask., which is in turn funded by the sale of provincial lottery tickets. Still, this amount often isn’t enough.
“We need to raise locally about half of the funds we pay out in sports fees on behalf of kids every year,” said John Eberl, the chair of KidSport Moose Jaw.
In 2023 alone, KidSport helped fund 248 local children in the amount of $79,675.
“These groups and the folks who run them are the unsung heroes… in our eyes,” wrote Eberl. “We honour them by helping put kids who may otherwise have to stay on the sidelines… in their programs.”
The K4K event has been running since 2019 and is intended to help raise some of the funds needed for KidSport Moose Jaw to continue operating.
“It is a win-win situation for kids, families, sports organizations, and the Moose Jaw Community,” Eberl said.
The event’s corporate challenge raises funds by having businesses and other organizations sponsor a participant in the race for $250 per two-person canoe.
To liven things up a bit, each sponsor is invited to paddle the canoe themselves – although Eberl said this is purely optional and KidSport will provide the paddlers for anyone not wishing to do so.
Eberl described the event as “a fun, easy race that anyone can participate in,” and said this year’s goal is to set a new benchmark.
“Our goal is to get 30 plus canoes in this year’s event. Help us set a record!”
Every local organization is invited to attend, and all sponsors receive recognition through KidSport’s media outlets with CRA tax receipts provided for charitable donations.
Each sponsor is called on to challenge another business or organization to compete alongside them, and Eberl confirmed that 100 per cent of proceeds remain in the community.
To participate in the Kayak 4 KidSport corporate challenge, contact Mikayla Swallow at 306-631-9556 or John Eberl a 306-540-4153 during regular business hours. You can also email KidSportMooseJaw@gmail.com or learn more at KidSportCanada.ca.
Each attending family is asked to bring a $10 donation in support of KidSport Moose Jaw.
The Kiwanis River Park Pavilion & Lodge is next to the skating oval and can be found by following River Drive into the Wakamow Valley.
