Beginning on May 7th, with the support of Scotiabank, FitSpirit Celebrations will be held in eight cities across Ontario and Québec to inspire girls to come together and rediscover the joys of physical activity through a range of exciting challenges and activities. The Celebrations are open to girls ages 12-17 and are designed to encourage physical fitness, regardless of athletic abilities.
New this year, FitSpirit welcomes non-partner schools and girls who haven’t participated in FitSpirit activities in the past to join in on the experience.
“Going to a FitSpirit Celebration can help spark an interest in an active lifestyle for every girl,” says Claudine Labelle, President and Founder of FitSpirit. “The event that is the culmination of the year’s efforts for some can also be the starting point of the adventure for others. At FitSpirit we encourage every girl to go at her own pace.”
FitSpirit kicked off the year by welcoming Tessa Virtue to the team as its Annual Mentor. She joined Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, official spokesperson for FitSpirit, as the organization seeks to raise public awareness around the problem of declining participation in sport among pre-teen and teenage girls.
“Physical activity is a powerful tool that equips teenage girls to rise to the challenges of today and tomorrow by improving their psychological well-being, mental health, social skills, cognitive abilities and academic success,” explains Sophie Grégoire Trudeau. “FitSpirit activities offer all those and more, making a real difference in the participants’ lives,” adds Tessa Virtue, who speaks about her personal experience growing up as a figure skater.
Last year, Scotiabank became the title sponsor of the FitSpirit Celebrations, helping the organization expand its presence within Canada.
“At Scotiabank, we know that when given the opportunity to participate in organized activities, that young people will develop life-long skills and values that will support their growth into healthy, contributing adults,” says Gillian Riley, Executive Vice President, Scotiabank and President and CEO of Tangerine. “Young people are our future leaders and Scotiabank’s goal is to help ensure that they have the necessary skills and resources they need to support their success. We know that how we support young people today, can prepare them for tomorrow, and that’s why we want to provide opportunities to help them reach their infinite potential.”
From 2017 to 2018, the number of partners tripled from 11 to 35 partners, creating opportunity to add new towns to its tour and enhancing the experience at existing events.
FitSpirit Celebrations will take place in the following locations:
May 7, Windsor – Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex, Windsor, Ontario
May 9, Toronto – Downsview Park, North York, Ontario
May 14, Ottawa/Gatineau – Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, Ottawa, Ontario
May 16, Montréal – Centre de la nature, Laval, Québec
May 22, Québec City – Base de plein air de Sainte-Foy, Québec City, Québec
May 24, Rimouski – Parc Beauséjour, Rimouski, Québec
May 28, Sudbury – Kivi Park, Greater Sudbury, Ontario
May 30, Abitibi-Témiscamingue – Cité étudiante La Polyno de La Sarre, La Sarre, Québec
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