This month, our Floor Hockey Program awarded its Sportsmanship Award to both Blaze and Sheldon! Sheldon always keeps a positive attitude during floor hockey. When he feels someone is playing unfairly, he communicates his frustration in a calm and productive manner. Sheldon’s willingness to play any position (including goalie!) and his light sense of humour brings warmth and familiarity to the atmosphere of the program. His partner, Blaze, and their daughter, Eva, warm the sidelines with their care for every player and a presence filled with love and humility. Having this family at floor hockey week after week adds a sense of community and love to the program that even I (Rebecca) as the facilitator couldn’t quite create. I’d like to extend my gratitude to this family for being who they are and being a constant part of our floor hockey community and for being their wonderfully happy and resilient selves.

February is full of continuing winter programs and weekly programming for ICRWP. Our Youth Snowboarding Program continues to take inner city youth from the Boyle Street Community Services to Snow Valley to learn skiing or snowboarding. Our Women’s Wellness Wise Warrior Program continues as well. It is an opportunity for young inner city women to learn forms of self defense with physical force as a last option! Making Strides, our free equine therapy program held at Whitemud Equine Learning Centre, is taking on new participants. If you or someone you know would like to sign up or get more information, please contact Rylan at rkafara@boylestreet.org.

February also marks the time to start planning for summer programming. This means we can start thinking about gardening season again! That said, we are looking for community members who are interested in helping us mind the gap this summer. If you or anyone you know is interesting in helping out with the LIVINGbridge, please contact Rebecca (587) 337-9860 or via email at "rkaiserboylestreet.org”:mailto:rkaiser@boylestreet.org. Let’s come together to make this bridge a beautiful garden for all of summer 2018!

Rylan Kafara is the Program Lead, Inner City Recreation and Wellness Program. Mike Siek and Rebecca Kaiser are Program Coordinators with ICRWP.