Let’s Move Forward Together!

Do you feel it?  With lessened restrictions and the spring season just around the corner, there seems to be a new energy in the air these days!  Makes a person want to MOVE!  Read on to find out more about ways to be active as a family living with disability – and receive a special invitation to an online exercise class with the Children’s Link community and an organization called SPIRIT Club!

The connections we make while being active with others not only provide motivation in the moment but can also help us form natural supports that encourage us to meet our health and wellness goals.

When we make exercise one of our family activities, fitness time can also become family time!  We can encourage good habits, bond with one another, and promote physical and mental wellness.

CLICK HERE to take a peek at a remarkable six-minute video, featuring Rick and Dick Hoyt.  They are the most inspirational father-son team to race in the Iron Man competition and completed over 1000 races together.  Their story is guaranteed to encourage you to get moving along with your child and family!

Although research suggests that individuals with disabilities tend to be less active overall than other community members, while some barriers certainly exist, there are actually no shortage of options when it comes to finding accessible recreational opportunities.  Here at Children’s Link, we’d love to help you get connected and explore possibilities!

To this end, Children’s Link will be hosting an online Recreation and Summer Camp Fair on Thursday, March 17 from 6:30 PM to 9 PM.  CLICK HERE to register. Join us and explore the various recreational and summer camp options for children, youth, and adults with disabilities in Calgary and area.

You can also visit our website at www.childrenslink.ca, click on Community Resources, and search for information using the keyword, “recreation”.  Our friendly Family Support Workers are available to help you navigate the website and discover options, throughout Alberta, that may be suitable for your family!  Simply call our office at (877) 835-1105 or send us an email at info@childrenslink.ca.

Here are a few resources you may wish to download as a start:

• The Ability Toolkit
  A resource developed for parents and guardians of children and youth with a disability to help them use the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth.
• Exercise Right for Kids
• Get Kids Moving Coupon Book

Getting and staying active should be all about finding what’s fun, exploring what activities make you feel good, and social inclusivity.  This month, we like to invite you to get moving in community, along with Children’s Link and SPIRIT Club!

Join us online on Wednesday, March 30^th from 6:30 – 7:30 pm, for a FUN & FITNESS Event as we participate together in a fitness class, suitable for all!  Expert fitness leaders from SPIRIT Club will lead us in scalable exercises that can be modified to accommodate limitations or progressions to increase the challenge.  The mission of SPIRIT Club is to offer a universal design for fitness that empowers people of all abilities to exercise successfully in a socially integrated setting.  Everyone is welcome, from all across Alberta – it’s sure to be a fun time!  CLICK HERE for a link to register.  For more information about SPIRIT Club, please visit their website at www.spirit-club.com.

Looking forward to being active with you later this month!

Just keep moving,

Sandra Cicman
Learning & Connections Coordinator
The Children’s Link Society