My cheeks are burning with heat inside the chill of the arena. I zoom around the corner, waving to my mom as I pull up into a flip. When I land, I feel a sense of great accomplishment. I did it! I whirl around to see if my mom saw it. Yes! She’s standing up, clapping wildly.
“Mom! Look at me!” I snap out of my reverie as my six-year-old zooms by on her bike. Her determination to ride well so she can let go of the training wheels is written on her bright face. She speeds past me while balancing in the middle, not using her training wheels. I know I can relate to needing mom’s approval for accomplishments.
I turn and see my four-year-old squealing down the slide. It’s her first year to do this all by herself without one of us helping her up the playground apparatus. With all her challenges and delays, her confidence grows daily.
The playground has been recently updated because of the fundraising efforts of local parents. The old equipment was old and unsafe. As a parent, I am grateful for the new equipment. Not every community has the opportunity to upgrade, yet so many parks and community centers are in need of update and/or repair.
The Kraft Celebration Tour recognizes the passion and community spirit that brings people together and promotes healthy, active lifestyles from coast to coast. Since 2009, the Kraft Celebration Tour has helped hundreds of thousands of Canadians in 40 deserving communities with a total of $1 million toward projects such as:
- Building a skateboard park
- Upgrading a sports field
- Improving a boxing facility
- Renovating a community youth center
Did you have a neighborhood park nearby where you spent time playing with your friends, or a trail on which you loved to walk your dog? Nominate them to win $25,000 to create something new or make something better – oh, and a broadcast with TSN! And nominations are being accepted until June 7th!
To nominate a community, Canadians are asked to submit a short essay and up to five photos explaining why their community deserves to be a part of the Kraft Celebration Tour and how the $25,000 community award will go towards the creation or improvement of a local community space. The essay should also touch upon how the award would help promote community spirit, a passion for sports, and an active lifestyle.
“Through the Kraft Celebration Tour, we’ve been able to continue our tremendous partnership with Kraft Canada and give back to deserving Canadians across the country,” said Stewart Johnston, President, and TSN. “For the past four years, the communities that are honoured and the stories that are told by the Kraft Celebration Tour help remind us how fortunate we are to live in such a diverse and beautiful country filled with countless remarkable people. To be a part of something as special as this program is an honour for all of us at TSN and we can’t wait to head out on the road again.”
On June 30, TSN and RDS will announce the 20 finalists selected by a panel of judges. Then it’s up to Canada to decide the 10 winning Kraft Celebration Tour stops via 10 weekdays of head-to-head online voting beginning July 8.
Also we’d love for you to check out their Facebook page too
One of my favorite things about being a mom is playing with my kids at the park. They grow up so fast, sometimes you just have to ditch the dirty dishes. Playtime is so important for the whole family. Even though my mom died a long time ago, a big part of my childhood memories is hanging out with her in our neighborhood.
Disclosure – I am participating in the Kraft Celebration Tour Blogger Campaign. I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Motherless Moments 