An excellent ice skating season has come to an end at the Keremeos rink and soon it will be time for local soccer and baseball registration.
It’s important to note that the cost of local sports for kids is lower this year because of the work of non-profit organizations run by parents and other dedicated volunteers.
For, example, look at up-coming soccer and baseball for four – 10 year olds: The Similkameen Minor Sports Association has lowered the registration cost from $85 last year to only $60 in 2013! They have worked hard to cut costs to make these sports more accessible to all families, but they depend on volunteer coaches, parent participation and on-time registration to make it work.
SMSA also organizes local soccer and baseball teams for kids over 10 years old. Registration information will soon be available on their website (www.similkameensports.ca) and through school newsletters. They can also help you find further financial assistance from JumpStart and KidSports program.
Another non-profit organization, Friends of the Keremeos Skating Rink, worked to keep skating and hockey fees the same or lower than last year in spite of increasing costs at the Similkameen Recreation Centre. Friends of the Rink subsidized drop–in hockey bringing the price down from the $8.50 that the rink charged to $5 for mites and $4 for 9-14 year olds. We also subsidized the registration fee for mites hockey bringing it from $85 down to $55 per child. Skating lessons were subsidized to bring the cost from $84 down to $50, and from $120 down to $75, according to age group. For the fourth year in a row Friends of the Rink distributed passes for free public skating to children via the schools. 580 passes were redeemed this year…40 per cent more than last year. Way to go skaters!
Through all the challenges of repeated snowfall, rink management and staff put their hearts into keeping the ice in good condition through December and January. Friends of the Keremeos Rink would like to thank all of them as well as the local businesses and organizations that sponsored so many free public skating sessions this year. A warm thank you to Bonnie Dickinson who brought her extensive experience teaching skating in Keremeos for the second year in a row. Teen volunteers, Micah, Elijah and Jenna also came out in all weather to help and encourage the kids. Several parents coached kids’ hockey at the Keremeos rink. It is great to have volunteers of all ages in our community.
If you would like to help either of these local non-profit sports organizations please contact them: Friends of the Rink at 250-499-5654; and SMSA at www.similkameensports.ca.