News March 1, 2019

Record Number of Communities Register for Go Out & Play Challenge

45 Saskatchewan communities will be hubs of activity over the next 10 days as they vie to win the grand prize in the Saskatchewan Blue Cross Go Out & Play Challenge.

The challenge is designed to encourage communities to think about the important role they play in providing opportunities for outdoor play. The winning community will receive $10,000 for a project that gets kids and families out to play.

“Outdoor play is one of the easiest ways to get kids moving more,” says Marnie Sinclair, Manager of Saskatchewan in motion. “With everything that’s competing for kids’ attention these days, it’s important to have spaces and places that inspire kids to spend more time outside.”

During the 10-day challenge, communities rally residents to log physical activity minutes. The community with the most minutes wins the $10,000 grand prize. Last year’s winning community logged nearly 420,000 minutes of activity. Across the province, participants from 28 communities logged a total of 2.9 million minutes of activity in 2018.

“We’re thrilled to see so many communities care about getting kids moving more,” says Lindsay Arnott, Community Relations Co-ordinator with Saskatchewan Blue Cross. “At a time when kids are less active than ever before, it’s nice to see communities register in record numbers.”

Over the last seven years, the challenge has awarded $120,000 to 14 communities. The winners have built trails and play spaces, and revitalized parks, rinks and swimming pools.

Individuals and families can create profiles and track their daily activity online March 1-10 at challenge.saskatchewaninmotion.ca.

For more information:
Kim Herperger
Communication Strategist
Saskatchewan in motion
Phone: 306-780-9364
kim@saskinmotion.ca