Students at Ecole Fox Run School were able to have the opportunity to compete against the Sylvan Lake RCMP for a good cause.
“This is a school-wide Dodge Ball Tournament in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation,” Physical Education teacher Aime Sandham said. “There used to be a skip-a-thon here, but I wanted to find a different idea that the kids would be more amped about participating in. The Dodge Ball tournament worked; it’s really exciting; it goes all week and the kids love it.”
The students have also been able to raise a substantial amount of money in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
“We raised about $400,” Sandham said, adding that the winning teams can compete against representatives from the Sylvan Lake RCMP.
“They are really excited and the second placed teams get to play against their home room teachers,” Sandham said. “Everyone gets involved and we had about 100 kids play in the tournament throughout the week.”
The tournament is also an opportunity for the local RCMP to forge positive relationships with the community.
“This is the fourth year that the RCMP has been involved with the Fox Run Dodge Ball Tournament,” Student Liaison Officer Michael Lee said.
“The first year was fantastic, we had a great turnout from our regular members here in Sylvan Lake and we have continued on from there. The school loves having us and the kids are excited because they get to throw a dodge ball at big police officers.”
Creating positive relationships between young people and law enforcement is very important to Lee.
“It helps us create relationships with the students and the teachers at the school,” he said. “I think it is really important because there have been situations in the past or even in the present where children are afraid of the police. By doing things like this, it can show the children that we are not big, mean police officers - we are normal people just like they are.”
todd.vaughan@sylvanlakenews.com