By Jake Williams
The Ottawa 67’s Foundation is encouraging children to be captains in the community through its new Captains’ Club.
“The Captains’ Club is certainly the next big step for the Ottawa 67’s in trying to be a positive influence to kids in the community,” says Jeff Hunt, president of the Ottawa 67’s. “I always say I’m more like the steward of a community asset than I am the owner of a business.”
The Ottawa 67’s Foundation was founded in 1999 after the team hosted and won the Memorial Cup, and has been responsible for programs that benefit the community.
The Captains’ Club is the Ottawa 67’s Foundation’s newest project and is free to join. The club is aimed at children aged seven to 13 and promotes skills like leadership and co-operation, says Colleen Tripp, program co-ordinator for the Ottawa 67’s.
“We wanted it to be a club that kids would be excited to join because of the things it stood for, but also a club that would teach them character skills that would help them to become successful adults,” Tripp says.
Along with giving children discounts to games and merchandise, membership to the club gives children the chance to use their writing skills to win contests. Contestants must write about the characteristics of a captain, and how they themselves can adopt these characteristics.
The winner from each age category will win $100 for themselves, as well as the same amount donated to their school library.
The website for the Captains’ Club includes features like inspirational quotes, in an effort to get children thinking about what they can achieve, Tripp says.
Eugene Milito, a principal for Continuing and Community Education at the Ottawa Catholic Education Centre, has worked aside Tripp for other 67’s programs. Milito says programs like the Captains’ Club are great because they encourage literacy.
“Receiving tickets to a game, receiving correspondence from the players, that partnership with a community leader like the Ottawa 67’s is huge for these children. If you can use that to make children read, how can you say no to that,” says Milito.
For every home game this season, the club will pay tribute to a child who demonstrates outstanding leadership and leads by example in the community. These children will be nominated through the website, and the honoured children are recognized at a Ottawa 67’s home game and are seated in a suite with their family and friends.
“Kids are doing exceptional things right now, and they have a lot to teach adults,” says Tripp. “This program is a chance for adults to nominate kids who are out there doing exceptional things, who either by their words or deeds are making a difference in the community and making Ottawa a better place to be.”
The club is also providing special events to members and their families. The events will continue to promote the themes of community leadership and character building.
The first event will feature inspirational speaker Alvin Law, a man who lives his life without arms and aims to teach children anything is possible. The event is being held Nov. 25 at Lansdowne Park.
“Our vision for the events is that kids will want to come because it will be fun, and sandwiched in there the kids are going to receive great inspirational messages and hopefully even a role model,” Hunt says.
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