Story
With the 2010 Winter Games being hosted in the traditional territories of the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations, Aboriginal peoples are playing an unprecedented role in the planning, hosting and legacy development of the Games.
As an organization focused on leveraging the Games to create lasting social legacies, 2010 Legacies Now worked with the Four Host First Nations Society and numerous Aboriginal communities and organizations to develop sport participation and healthy living opportunities for youth throughout British Columbia. One way we're doing this is through the Aboriginal Youth Sport Legacy Fund, which was created in 2002 by the Province of British Columbia, Lil'wat and Squamish Nations and the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation.
As trustee of the Fund, 2010 Legacies Now oversees the distribution of grants to develop and support high-performance Aboriginal athletes, and deliver sport and healthy living programs. From lessons in traditional canoe-carving and paddling, to martial arts and lacrosse programs, the Fund supports locally-developed programs throughout British Columbia.
In Skeetchestn, a small community located 65 kilometres west of Kamloops, a group of 27 youth completed at 13-week training program for the Vancouver Sun Run. Thanks to support from the Aboriginal Youth Sport Legacy Fund, these youth travelled to Vancouver in April 2009 to run the 10-kilometre race.
As one Grade 11 student explained, the experience was memorable: "This training program gave me so much in return, both in a physical and psychological way. I have developed better eating habits and have never been in better physical shape... I learned that I love running and will most definitely be continuing to improve."
The feelings of accomplishment which arise from participating in such programs are important first steps toward promoting healthy, active lifestyles among Aboriginal youth, which is proving to be a successful and enduring legacy of the Games.
