One insurer and a British Columbia broker partner have teamed up to donate $5,000 towards an after-school program in Kamloops, B.C.
The donation to River City Squash from
Economical Insurance and Emsland Insurance to the after-school program that will give north shore youth the opportunity to reach their full potential, says Dave Clutton of River City Squash.
“We are grateful to Economical Insurance for this generous and timely gift that will help us get through our full-program pilot from January to June as we find our feet,” says Clutton. “By measuring our students’ progress and program outcomes, we are confident we will bridge a gap in our community with this opportunity for underserved youth to excel in school and hopefully move on to obtain post-secondary education.”
Participating students from Grades 4 to 6 in three local elementary schools will get concentrated coaching in squash as well as help with their homework and tutoring in academic skills that will improve their study habits and grades and increase their overall enjoyment of school.
Every six weeks, participants will also perform community service projects, which could include visiting the elderly in a nursing home, helping at a food bank, or tending community gardens. The students will also do field trips to cultural centres, such as museums, plays, and science centres.
“At Economical, we strongly believe in the value of education as an essential step in reaching success,” says Cheryl Edmunson, Economical’s vice-president of sales and distribution in B.C. “We commend Dave and his team at River City Squash for their innovative efforts to encourage youth to succeed in school and in life and become the best they can be.”
For Christopher Emsland, the president of Emsland Insurance, it is a donation that will have an immediate impact on his community.
“We’re delighted to be associated with Economical’s generous investment in the future of our north shore youth,” says Emsland. “Economical has a long history of giving back to communities across the country. This donation will certainly make a positive difference right here in Kamloops.”
The River City Squash program is based on the Urban Squash model that is active in several cities in North America, including Toronto and Vancouver. Daily attendance at school and at the after-school program sessions is monitored and encouraged.
The students’ academic progress is monitored monthly throughout the year, as are their fitness levels and nutrition knowledge. Fitness levels are measured from the start and tracked quarterly to show and encourage improvements in fitness. An annual evaluation tracks the development of the program, the number of children involved, attrition levels, and the program's accomplishments compared to objectives.
In the photo are (left to right): Christopher Emsland, president of Emsland Insurance; Andrew Watson, owner of No Limits Fitness; Dave Clutton, program director at River City Squash Organization and Gary Horga, Economical’s branch and business development manager in Vancouver.
