A special thanks goes to the 31 Provincial Sport Organizations who took the time to nominate. In the 2011 year, the Community Sport Hero® Awards presented by Encana honoured 77 volunteers in 12 communities.

Throughout the year, Sport BCand the Community Sport Hero Awards presented by Encana visited the communities of Victoria, Prince George, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, Cranbrook, Prince Rupert, Salmon Arm, Nelson, Kitimat, Qualicum/Parksville, Summerland, and Dawson Creek.

To date, the program has recognized 447 sport volunteers in 39 different communities. Stay tuned for nomination dates in the 2012 year. We might be coming to your community!

Congratulations to both the winners and nominees for this amazing recognition.  Donna Bilous of SOBC – Abbotsford and Zack Klein of SOBC – North Shore are the recipients for the 2011 SOBC Coaching Awards.

 http://www.specialolympics.bc.ca/news/2011/09/20/three-cheers-sobc-coaches-bc-coaches-week

On Wednesday, September 14, Sport BC honoured four sport leaders from the District of Kitimat with the Community Sport Hero Awards presented by Encana.  These individuals are volunteers who have contributed eight or more years to sport. Yesterday, Don Markwart (Softball), Mark Roberge (Hockey), Clint Marshall (Baseball) and Rena Hummel (Skating) were all recognized for their long-time contribution as sport volunteers.

Congratulations to the following recipients!

Don Markwart – Softball

The success of Softball events in the Kitimat area of the province have been due to Don’s availability, knowledge and passion for the sport.  Don coaches, umpires, organizes and oversees everything that goes on regarding Softball in the area. Registration has grown significantly in the Kitimat region due to Don’s determination to keep softball alive.  He has coached teams of all ages and has participated in Provincial championships and BC Summer Games. 

Mark Roberge – Hockey

Mark is a huge supporter of Female Hockey.  He has volunteered for over 10 years – putting in countless hours of encouraging and mentoring athletes. He is involved in the Female High Performance Program with BC Hockey and has been instrumental in the running of the U-12/14/16/ and 18 camps. Mark has kept many teenage girls in the Northwest interested in competing at a high level of hockey and helping them to excel in the sport. He has taught them strong leadership and life skills, proper fitness, and nutrition practices which has helped them become the amazing young women they are.

Clint Marshall – Baseball
“I’ve known Clint for 30 years and coached with him for over 10 years, he is a guy who is full of committed and passion” says nominator, Darryl Craft.

Clint has spent many hours coaching kids and teaching them how to have fun playing ball (even in winter in the gyms). We all know how important it is to keep kids healthy but what is even more important is the kids have a great time which keeps them coming back. Fastball would not even be in existence in Kitimat if not for Clint; it had been cancelled for years until he and his wife got it going all on their own. He has put Kitimat on the map with his coaching which lead to all of the championships over the years. Kitimat was also honoured to name a ball field after Clint as a thank you for all his efforts.

Rena Hummel – Skating

Rena has been a long time volunteer announcer as well as various other jobs in the Snow Valley Skating Club for over 35 years.  Even after all of her kids were out of the sport she would still volunteer her time for events to do announcing or whatever they needed a hand in.  Once her grandchildren joined the club she became even more involved but now they have moved on to hockey and she is STILL selflessly volunteering without the blink of an eye.  Rena even takes time off of work and schedules vacation around the time that the club needs her to do announcing.  She is an amazing volunteer and the club would be lost without her.  Rena has a heart of gold and does not expect anything for her service so this is a perfect way to say thank you.

NEWS RELEASE

VANCOUVER, BC (September 12, 2011) – On Saturday, September 10, 2011, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA) welcomed hundreds of people to the 2nd annual Corporate Kids Challenge at its Burnaby, BC headquarters, raising over CA$530,000 for KidSport BC™. During the event Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, presented a cheque on behalf on the Province of British Columbia for CA$400,000.

“The government of British Columbia believes in the power of sport and KidSport BC helps remove the financial barrier so kids can participate,” said Minister Chong. “Sports teach kids team work and self esteem.”

BC Olympic athletes and 22 corporate teams from the Greater Vancouver area competed in games and sports activities including tug of war, an egg and spoon race and an obstacle course. WPCG was the winning corporate team of this year’s challenge. The day ended with a live auction featuring an Olympic torch and other unique items. Event information can be found at www.rbauction.com/kidschallenge.

“This is the biggest fundraiser of any KidSport™ chapter in Canada,” said Pete Quevillon, Director, KidSport BC™. “The money raised at this event will help close to 2,700 kids participate in a season of sport.”

Ritchie Bros. COO Bob Armstrong kicked off the event by expressing the company’s commitment to helping create a foundation for community sport participation.

“At Ritchie Bros. we try to give back by supporting groups that are focused on amateur athletics and youth leadership development,” said Mr. Armstrong. “KidSport is all about making sure there are no kids left on the sidelines and that every child gets the chance to play an organized sport.”

Ritchie Bros. also conducted a live charity auction featuring sports experiences, trips and other unique events donated by local companies and business people. The auction took place on-site during the event, and was also available to the public through Ritchie Bros.’ real-time online bidding service at www.rbauction.com. Highlights included a 3-day pacific salmon fishing trip at Warm Springs Resort on Stuart Island, B.C. that was donated by Ritchie Bros. co-founder Dave Ritchie.

Ritchie Bros. plans to hold the 3rd annual Corporate Kids Challenge in late summer of 2012.

“I was here last year and it’s great to be a part of it again,” said Olympian Brian Johns. “It’s such a great cause and I look forward to being a part of it indefinitely.”

About KidSport™

KidSport™ is a community-based sports funding program that provides grants for financially disadvantaged children ages 6 to 18 to participate in amateur sport and learn valuable life lessons and skills. The organization operates 175 chapters across Canada, 39 of which are based British Columbia. For more information about KidSport™ and how you can help in your community, please visit www.kidsport.ca.

About Ritchie Bros.

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is the world’s largest industrial auctioneer, selling more equipment to on-site and online bidders than any other company in the world. Ritchie Bros. offers services that enable the world’s builders to easily and confidently exchange equipment. The Company conducts hundreds of unreserved public auctions each year, selling a broad range of used and unused equipment, trucks and other assets utilized in the construction, transportation, agricultural, material handling, mining, forestry, petroleum and marine industries. Ritchie Bros. has over 110 locations in more than 25 countries, including 43 auction sites worldwide. The Company maintains a web site at www.rbauction.com and sponsors an equipment wiki at www.RitchieWiki.com.

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For more information contact:

Vicki Cunningham, Supervisor, Corporate Communications, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Phone: +1.778.331.5464 or email vcunningham@rbauction.com

Members of the public and the media can follow Ritchie Bros. on Twitter @RitchieBros.
Erin van der Lee
Corporate Communications Coordinator

T: +1.778.331.5345
E: evanderlee@rbauction.com
www.rbauction.com

9500 Glenlyon Parkway
Burnaby, BC V5J 0C6

Olympic athletes and local companies help Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers raise more than CA$530,000 for KidSport BC

August 2, 2011

PacificSport Athlete Academy

As the world of competitive sport evolves so do the demands placed on student-athletes.  For the past ten years, PacificSport Okanagan has been helping athletes navigate through the amateur sport world from the regional development level to national team success.   The non-profit organization is pleased to announce its latest program, a multi-sport academy – the PacificSport Athlete Academy.

The Kelowna-based PacificSport Athlete Academy exposes students to a high performance lifestyle throughout the academic school year.  Athletes benefit from a flexible timetable that supports their competitive training schedule while allowing them to attend their public school of choice.

Through sport-specific technical training, physiological testing, and a multi-sport athlete development program (IGNITE), participants are able to improve their physical literacy in pursuit of their athletic aspirations.

The IGNITE program  focuses on the fundamentals of athleticism, rooted in track and field, gymnastics and strength and conditioning, that are often neglected in the early stages of development.  IGNITE participants benefit from foundational training and a variety of sport readiness sessions including: mental training, injury prevention, nutrition and personal goal setting.

The PacificSport Athlete Academy provides individualized plans for participants to meet the demands of both sport and education.  In addition to providing transportation to school and training, a certified teacher is on staff to assist participants with their schoolwork as required.  Sessions are scheduled strategically to allow participants the flexibility to train, study, compete, rest and recover.

PacificSport Athlete Academy Director Kim Whelpton explains, “The PacificSport Athlete Academy is changing the way secondary students pursue their athletic careers without compromising their academic pursuits.”

Applications are now being accepted for the September 2011 class.  The application deadline is August 19^th, 2011.  For more information call 250.469.8461 or visit PacificSport.com

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Kim Whelpton, Athlete Academy Director
PacificSport Okanagan
T: 250.469.8461
E: kwhelpton@pacificsport.com

Doug Nicholas, General Manager
PacificSport Okanagan
T: 250.469.8854
E: dnicholas@pacificsport.com

Being inside for too long definitely makes everyone a bit antsy, especially when cooped up in an office. But summer is thankfully high time for a good sporting event.

A good game of soccer or baseball combined with sunshine is just about the perfect recipe for a good time with friends. Maybe you fought against that signature tough team this season and are celebrating with some cool beverages in the park. Don’t they just taste better when you’re outside? (Yes!)

Now, we’ve all been in this situation before. Fast forward a couple hours later or maybe even a couple drinks later before it’s finally time to head home.

It may be hard to believe, but on average 126 people a year die in motor vehicle crashes involving impaired driving. Most impaired-related crashes (60 per cent) also occur on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

So let’s keep it simple folks: choose a designated driver this summer. Plan ahead of time. Another tip? ICBC let us know that the police are out in full force this July and August to conduct road checks. It pays to stay safe on and off the playing field, am I right?

Good luck to all athletes out there participating in tournaments, championships and everyday pick-up games!

ICBC ‘s Tips for Staying Safe this Summer:

•     Choose a designated driver.
•     Refuse to ride with drivers who may be impaired—ask to be let out of the car if necessary.
•     Set an example—your smart driving decisions can have a significant influence on others.
•     Take a stand and don’t let people drive if they have been drinking alcohol.
•     If you see an impaired driver, call 911 and report it to your local police.
•     Talk about the issue with your family and friends.

ICBC is a great resource for more information on their summer campaign. Check it out here.

As a result of Sport BC’s relationship with the CSTA, the following tools and services are also available to our members, the BC Provincial Sport Organizations:

• STEAM (Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model) and STEAM PRO – the world’s first web-based economic assessment tools specifically designed for predicting and measuring the economic impact of a sport event on a community. STEAM has become the standard for measuring economic impact within the sport tourism / sport event hosting industry across Canada.
• Business Plan Template – The Business Plan Template is a leading edge tool for bidding or organizing committees that seek to set out a comprehensive business plan with a view to host a sport event at the local, provincial, national or international level.  Comprised of a Microsoft word file and a budget template in Microsoft Access format, the template
  supplies all the necessary information and work tools to complete a business plan and budget for sport events of any size.
• Sport Events Directory – this tool contains profiles on a variety of national and international sport events that are available for bid.
• Sport Event Bid Template – The template provides a comprehensive list of required elements to build a winning bid and also contains examples of best practice bid presentations.  This resource details all of the key elements to develop a winning bid for sport events of any size.
• Sport Event Marketing Template – This product is designed to help sport organizations, bid committees and organising committees establish how nongovernmental revenues can be raised and how events should be promoted. It also outlines all the elements which need to be considered to host a successful event, including communications, television, sponsorships, ticketing, merchandising and fundraising. The Sport Event Marketing Template is designed to complement the CSTA Business Plan template already available to CSTA members.
• Bid Evaluation Model – The Bid Evaluation Model (BEM) is designed to function as a decision support tool, assisting organizations/communities to determine whether to bid to host a particular sport event. The BEM identifies relevant criteria for considering various factors such as number of participants, spectators and media; length of competition; relative suitability of the event for a particular community; capacity of community to host particular event, projected economic impact and other factors.
   
• RFP Template for Sport Events – This template (in development) is designed to provide NSOs and PSOs with a template to maximize the market value of their events and to increase the number of competing bids for those events, to the benefit of the rights holder.

In addition, CSTA has offered Sport BC members a complimentary registration to Sport Events Congress 2012 (subject to the early bird registration deadline in mid-February and participation in the Sport Events Exchange).

Membership in the CSTA also entitles PSOs access to training and education sessions through regular web-conferences, access to the CSTA’s photo library and access to press releases and news Alerts to stay on top of developments within the industry.

RICHMOND (Monday, June 20)– With summer just around the corner, KidSport and Triple O’s have teamed up to help BC kids get in the game.

Following a successful partnership in 2010 that raised $25,000 for KidSport BC, Triple O’s will launch a two week promotion for the same cause from June 20-July 3. The public will be able to contribute to their local KidSport chapter when ordering off the Triple O’s menu in any of the 30 participating locations. Funds raised during the two-week period will help kids with financial barriers experience the benefits of sport participation by covering the registration fees for a sport season of their choice.

“Triple O’s is a community staple in BC,” said KidSport BC Director, Pete Quevillon. “With their support, KidSport is better equipped to serve kids in communities across the province who are inspired to be active and get involved in organized sport this summer.”

“Triple O’s is thrilled to be in partnership with KidSport,” said White Spot Hospitality President Warren Erhart. “We feel that every child should be able to experience the benefits that playing a sport can give them and we look forward to contributing to such a worthy organization.”

Since its inception, KidSport has enabled 250,000 children to play sport across the country. Established by Sport BC in 1993, KidSport is now present in 39 communities across British Columbia and over 175 communities across Canada. With assistance from partners like Triple O’s, KidSport BC continues to expand its reach to ensure all children across the province have the opportunity to experience the power of sport.

Tweet to give

In addition to donating in-store, guests can help raise money for KidSport by visiting Triple O’s TWITTER. From June 20 to July 3, for every re-tweet of the promotional details, Triple O’s will donate an extra $1 to KidSport.

About KidSport:

KidSport is a community-based sports funding program that provides grants for financially disadvantaged children ages 6 to 18 to participate in amateur sport and learn valuable life lessons and skills. For more information about KidSport and how you can help in your community, please visit www.kidsport.ca.

About Triple O’s:

Vancouver-based Triple O’s restaurants, a division of White Spot Limited., now has over 50 quick service locations throughout B.C., Alberta and Asia. Triple O’s can be found in Chevron gas stations, select BC Ferries, Science World, Rogers Arena, the PNE, SFU and Douglas College among other free standing locations. Triple O’s locations boast a subtly retro décor and feature premium burgers, fresh chipped French fries and classic hand-scooped milkshakes served to meet the speed of today’s busy lifestyle. www.tripleos.com.

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For more information, please contact:

Jessica Doherty
Coordinator, Marketing & Communications
Sport BC
E: jessica.doherty@sportbc.com
T: 604.333.3422

Download the Annual Report

Team BC, in partnership with Literacy in Kamloops (LinK), will launch the “Bright Red Bookshelf“ project in Kamloops. This positive initiative will see to it that custom built red bookshelves across Kamloops will be filled to the brim with gently used children’s books. Kids have the great option of either enjoying these books on site or take home with them for free.

Books for ages 12 and under will be given from Team BC athletes, coaches, managers, parents, partners and MLAs to begin with.

They will be delivered to LinK in order to be distributed to all bookshelf locations in Kamloops (Food Banks, homeless shelters, inner city schools, medical walk-in clinics, etc.).

Team BC’s ability to recognize this need for children is an encouraging demonstration of their social responsibility and goodwill to the communities of British Columbia as they represent their province.

Do you want to help out too? Anybody is welcome to donate to this this excellent cause! In exchange for a donation, a Team BC sun pin will be provided to the donor.

Help in the effort and help those in your community! Thanks Team BC for starting this project!