School Skate Program thriving
Ehrlo Sport Venture (ESV) continues to deliver the School Skate Program (SSP) so that all students across Regina can participate in skating with their peers.
ESV is proud to partner with Regina Public and Catholic School Boards to enable all students’ access to skating.
“We strongly value this program because it supports the local schools and their students,” said Gloria Patrick, ESV manager. “We’re grateful that both school boards continue to partner with us, year after year, to make this initiative possible.”
Each winter, classroom teachers and administrators order skates and helmets for physical education programming. Teachers complete the online request form and submit it to ESV for approval. Once the order is confirmed, Sport Venture staff package and arrange the pick-up of all skates and helmets. Upon their return, the equipment is cleaned, maintained, and packaged for the next order.
“ESV invests hundreds of hours to provide this service, operating on a modest budget and with minimal staff,” explained Gloria. “The SSP, which started roughly 20 years ago, has significantly grown and evolved to become a well-used, but resource intense program.”
In a typical year, the organization has lent out more than 12,000 pieces of equipment to local schools, with ESV projecting to fill approximately 200 orders this season.
ESV is committed to the sustainability of the program and is appreciative of the financial contributions made by both school boards this year. The boards’ support will help ensure that no child is left behind, and that all students will have the opportunity to skate.
A classroom teacher shared, “I would like to thank you for your continued support in allowing our students to be active in the winter. Our student population is diverse with a lot of international students that have never skated before. (ESV) allows all students the experience of skating in hopes they continue to skate outside of school hours. This wouldn’t be possible without your organization’s help.”