Hockey is one sport A4K is passionate about and we want to share that passion with you!

Enter to win one of two pairs of tickets to the Vancouver Canucks vs. Winnipeg Jets game on March 8^th at Rogers Area!

This is this the only time these two teams will face off in the regular season and what better way to watch them play than to win tickets while raising awareness for Athletics for Kids!

Draw Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 4pm

- Contest Closes at 12pm (noon) on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 -

Congratulations to our two winners!

• Jamie Myers of Surrey
• Peter Austin of Vancouver

Two ways to enter to win:

1. Leave a comment below naming your favourite athlete when you were a kid (1 entry)
2. Follow @Athletics4kids on Twitter and post the following: (1 entry)

I want to win Canucks tix + support @Athletics4kids in making sports come true 4 kids www.a4k.ca/canuckscontest Follow & RT to enter! 

Thank you to Elite Body Shop for their donation of the Canucks tickets.

One of our most popular contests is back! 

Enter to win two round-trip tickets ANYWHERE Westjet flies PLUS a 7 night vacation for two at the resort of your choice. There’s over 2000 to choose from in over 30 countries!

Westjet can take you to the sunny destination of your dreams including Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. You choose the resort which may include championship golf courses, spas, or breathtaking beaches.

Click HERE to see some of the most popular vacation destinations.

Some restrictions apply.

Draw Date: March 30th at the A4K Gala: Vegas Night, Baby! presented by Coast Capital Savings (attendance not required to win…but we’d love to see you there!)

Only 500 tickets will be sold!

Price: $20 per ticket or $50 for 3

BC Lottery License # 41163

The contest is open to anyone wishing to enter. Click here or the button below.

Burnaby Minor Hockey President Paul Sidhu has endorsed support for this raffle on behalf of the BMHA as a way of thanking A4K for providing financial support of over $16,000 to underprivileged players in the association over the past two years alone. “We are so thankful for the support that A4K has provided to so many of our players. I encourage all of our members to consider supporting Athletics for Kids for this holiday fundraiser,” stated Sidhu.

Congratulations to our winner, Joann McBean of Burnaby!

Thank you to all those who participated and supported Athletics for Kids! Join our mailing list for info on future draws.

Contest details:

Grand prize: 2 Club Seat tickets to the January 17^th, 2012 Vancouver Canucks game vs. the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena plus a $50 White Spot gift certificate.

Price:  1 ticket for $10, 3 tickets for $25.

Total # of tickets to be sold:  200

Draw date: Tuesday, January 10, 2012

* If winner cannot be reached by Friday, 4pm, a redraw will be performed.

Licence no:  40121

The sporting dreams of British Columbia’s children have a greater chance of coming true thanks to Coast Capital Savings and their presenting sponsorship of the 10^th Annual Athletics for Kids Fundraising Gala – a night that could enrol hundreds of under privileged children and youth into sports.

The $15,000 partnership gives the charity a great head start in eclipsing the $36,000 it raised at last year’s event – a night that enrolled 150 future all-stars into sports across BC. This year’s event will be held on March 30, 2012, at Hollyburn Country Club inWest Vancouver.

“Solidifying a presenting sponsor for this event puts us on the fast track to raising a record amount of money and enrolling a record number of kids into the sports they love but regretfully can’t afford,” said Athletics for Kids (A4K) Executive Director, Derek Mayson. “Coast Capital Savings is well known locally as a terrific community supporter and we could not have asked for a more compassionate presenting sponsor.

“It’s organizations like Athletics for Kids that contribute to building a richer future for youth in our communities,” said Wendy Lachance, director, community leadership at Coast Capital Savings.  “Coast Capital is committed to providing youth with opportunities to get them involved and engaged in organized sport and recreation.  We are thrilled to be the presenting sponsor of this year’s gala.”

The Athletics for Kids Fundraising Gala has raised over $500,000 in its history and has contributed to the funding of over 1,500 sporting activities for children and youth throughout B.C. who otherwise would have been left watching from the sidelines.

About Coast Capital Savings             

Coast Capital Savings Credit Union is Canada’s second largest credit union with total assets under administration of $12.3 billion, more than 454,000 members and 51 branches in the Metro Vancouver, FraserValley, and Vancouver Island regions of British Columbia. Product innovations include Canada’s first free chequing account from a full-service financial institution and the country’s most flexible mortgage product, the You’re the Boss™ Mortgage, which was named 2010 Mortgage of the Year by canadianmortgagetrends.com. Coast Capital offers one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™. It is a member of Canada’s Best Managed Companies Platinum Club and an Imagine Canada Caring Company. To learn more, visit www.coastcapitalsavings.com.

“A donation of $10,000 has the potential to change a lot of lives and it is our goal to continue to expand our reach and impact throughout theprovinceofBritish Columbia,” stated A4K Executive Director, Derek Mayson.  “The Central Okanagan Foundation is a proud contributor to the region in which it resides and we look forward to continuing to assist the youth of the Okanagan in realizing their sporting dreams.”

A4K, in its 10^th year of giving, is on pace to enrol a record 400 kids in 2011.

About the Central Okanagan Foundation

The Central Okanagan Foundation is first and foremost a “Community Foundation”; a trusted place where donors go to give and a place that charitable groups go for support in their valuable endeavours. The C.O.F. provides ongoing support to the charitable sector and provides funding for charitable projects that benefit the Okanagan community.

Top fundraisers for the event included:

• Sarah Jamieson, Fit to Train
• Curb Ivanic, Ultra Fitness
• Heather Ramsbottom, Performance for Sport
• Stacy Mclean, Ice Sports Burnaby
• Darrin Jones, North Van Rec Commission

Thank you to all those who took part in the challenge or pledged a participant. Time for an ice bath!

Some photos from this year’s Fitness Challenge have been posted in the picture gallery.

Five times per day, a 30-second Public Service Announcement about A4K will be played on each of the following stations:

• CKNW
• AM730
• CFOX
• Rock101

Check out the PSA below and let us know what you think!

Corus Cares – A4K  

“A donation of $25,000 has the potential to change a lot of lives and being recognized by the Canucks for Kids Fund is a huge testament to what we do here at A4K,” stated A4K Executive Director, Derek Mayson. “They recognized that A4K puts kids into sports to invest in not only the future of sports, but the future of our country.”

A4K, in its 10th year of giving, is on pace to enrol a record 400 kids in 2011.

“A4K enrols kids into most sports including gymnastics, soccer, baseball, lacrosse and figure skating, with many longing to play Canada’s biggest national past-time, hockey. The Canucks for Kids Fund has given back so much to our local community and we at A4K feel honoured to be recognized by such a first-class organization.”

About the Canucks for Kids Fund

The Canucks for Kids Fund dedicates resources to assist charities who support children’s health and wellness, foster the development of grassroots hockey, and facilitate and encourage education in British Columbia. Through a variety of programs in which Canucks players and employees participate, the team joins with Canucks fans and partner sponsors to raise funds.

About Athletics for Kids

All across BC, hundreds of children are continually denied the opportunity to participate in amateur sports due to one simple fact: lack of funds. A4K is working to change this. With financial support, these children can turn their participation in sports into a greater learning tool, where they can discover team-building skills, learn how to cope with failure, increase their confidence and build character. A4K jumps right into the action. As a privately funded charity, we are able to get dollars into the hands of those who need it most, quickly and effectively. The support of A4K is available province-wide for children ages 5 to 18 who are currently enrolled in school. Registration fees are paid for any sport recognized by A4K, up to an annual maximum of $600 per child (considerably higher than other sport funding charities) Through A4K, hundreds of BC children have the opportunity to follow their dreams through sport.

For more information or photos, please contact:

www.a4k.ca

A4K’s Mission: To work diligently and thoughtfully in providing financially disadvantaged youth in the community with greater access to organized amateur sport in conjunction with their academic endeavours.

Athletics for Kids was happy to learn recently that $12,000 raised from the Jaun de Fuca Minor Hockey Association’s 2nd annual Debbie Cooper Cup will be donated to A4K to put kids into sports in British Columbia. The tournament, held in April raised enough to enrol up to 50 young athletes.

“Deb Cooper’s legacy will help enrich the lives of many young children and we extend our sincere gratitude to the Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey Association for its continuing support of A4K,” says Executive Director Derek Mayson. “This is a very timely donation as we get into hockey season and we want to make sure that no child is denied access to Canada’s national pastime.”

Averaging about $250 per child, A4K in its 10th year of giving, is on pace to enrol a record 400 kids in 2011.

“A4K assists children from all across British Columbia and is looking to garner support from all corners of the province so we can keep up with our ever increasing demand for sports funding. We support a number of Victoria area youth athletes so supporters of the Debbie Cooper Cup can be assured their contributions are going right back into their community.”

About the Debbie Cooper Cup

The Debbie Cooper Cup is a memorial hockey tournament in honour of long-time Juan de Fuca Minor Hockey mother, community supporter and volunteer Debbie Cooper who passed away in November 2009. In just its sophomore year, the tournament raised $12,000, all of which was donated to A4K as Debbie was a strong supporter of the charity. In total, this tournament has raised nearly $25,000 for A4K.

About Athletics for Kids

All across BC, hundreds of children are continually denied the opportunity to participate in amateur sports due to one simple fact: lack of funds. A4K is working to change this. With financial support, these children can turn their participation in sports into a greater learning tool, where they can discover team-building skills, learn how to cope with failure, increase their confidence and build character. A4K jumps right into the action. As a privately funded charity, we are able to get dollars into the hands of those who need it most, quickly and effectively. The support of A4K is available province-wide for children ages 5 to 18 who are currently enrolled in school. Registration fees are paid for any sport recognized by A4K, up to an annual maximum of $600 per child (considerably higher than other sport funding charities) Through A4K, hundreds of BC children have the opportunity to follow their dreams through sport.

For more information or photos, please contact:

www.a4k.ca

A4K’s Mission: To work diligently and thoughtfully in providing financially disadvantaged youth in the community with greater access to organized amateur sport in conjunction with their academic endeavours.

"The Power of Sport for Kids program is a nationwide program created to support at risk children who would benefit from the infusion of sports and activity in their lives," said Matthew Handford, SVP Human Resources and eCommerce for The Forzani Group Ltd. and Power of Sport for Kids Steering Committee Chairman. "We believe with the $25,000 grant awarded to Athletics for Kids, we can make a significant impact on the health of Canadians by enabling more children to participate in the sports, activities and play that they otherwise may not have access to."

"A4K is so thankful for this generous donation by the Power of Sport for Kids. This is a busy time of year for sport registrations for spring hockey, baseball and lacrosse so the timing is perfect. $25,000 can put upwards of 100 kids in sports. They are making a huge difference in the lives of youth from all around BC," said Mayson.

About Power of Sport for Kids

The Power of Sport for Kids program, established and facilitated by The Forzani Group Ltd., is a nationwide program created to support at risk children who would benefit from the infusion of sports and activity in their young lives. In-store fundraising initiatives provide the funds for sports equipment and accessories that will give these kids the chance to play.

Over the past two years The Power of Sport for Kids program has raised over $2.5 million through Sport Chek, Sport Mart, Hockey Experts and Athletes World stores across the country. Thanks to the support of employees, customers and vendors, they have contributed thousands of units of sports equipment to recipient organizations since the program’s inception in 2005.

About Athletics for Kids

All across BC, hundreds of children are continually denied the opportunity to participate in amateur sports due to one simple fact: lack of funds. A4K is working to change this. With financial support, these children can turn their participation in sports into a greater learning tool, where they can discover team-building skills, learn how to cope with failure, increase their confidence and build character. A4K jumps right into the action. As a privately funded charity, we are able to get dollars into the hands of those who need it most, quickly and effectively. The support of A4K is available province-wide for children ages 5 to 18 who are currently enrolled in school. Registration fees are paid for any sport recognized by A4K, up to an annual maximum of $600 per child (considerably higher than other sport funding charities) Through A4K, hundreds of BC children have the opportunity to follow their dreams through sport.

For more information or photos, please contact:

www.a4k.ca

A4K’s Mission: To work diligently and thoughtfully in providing financially disadvantaged youth in the community with greater access to organized amateur sport in conjunction with their academic endeavours.