Kelowna Minor Lacrosse has been fortunate to have had the support of the Kelowna and Westbank Kinsmen Clubs for years.
These supportive service clubs have sponsored our free Learn to Play Lacrosse Program for six years. The Kinsmen Learn to Play Program was developed in 2008 to give children exposure to Canada's national summer sport.
With childhood obesity on the rise, it is important our community offers free opportunities for children to get active and involved. The program consists of four sessions of 1.5 hours at the CNC sports fields.
Our Kelowna Minor Lacrosse coaches, older players and Jr. Raiders team volunteer their time to mentor the children. There are usually 60 players at each session.
I was fortunate to attend a Kelowna Kinsmen meeting. I was surprised to see members in their 30s, 40s and 50s from Summerland, Westbank, Kelowna and Armstrong. The group consists of volunteers involved for the greater good of the community they live in.
Kelowna Minor Lacrosse is fortunate to have not only the financial support from the Kelowna Kinsmen, they also volunteered at our mini-tyke/tykes jamboree last spring.
Several members volunteered with the youngest players on a Saturday when they could have been somewhere else. I admire their commitment to our community.
Many local service clubs have declining memberships or are disbanding. My grandparents were members of the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs for 75 years. These groups built the Three Links Senior Manor in Kelowna, purchased the house that is now Abbeyfield, funded many local sports associations, offered post-secondary scholarships, donated to the United Nations, and performed many more generous deeds.
Unfortunately, their hall was sold in 2012. As their elderly members passed on, younger generations did not step into their shoes.
Various service clubs worldwide support many wonderful causes. This great support is fading away as these dedicated members age.
As a member of the Kelowna Minor Lacrosse Association for the past six years, I would like to thank the Kelowna and Westbank Kinsmen, the Elks Lodge and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 26, who have all supported our young lacrosse athletes.
Over the years your clubs have enabled our children to participate in sport, keep active, meet new friends, travel to other communities for games and by a part of Canada's national sport.
Alisa Brownlee, president,
Kelowna Minor Lacrosse