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DEH CHO
The Mackenzie Recreation Association is reevaluating how to meet the region's needs after only two-thirds of its programs received funding this year.

The association is one of five organizations in the territory that will receive a portion of $7 million in funding over the next two years from the NWT Sport and Recreation Council.

While the Mackenzie Recreation Association received renewed funding for community and regional sports development and its snowshoe lending program, it didn't receive funding for its leadership program, said Deborah Stipdonk, the association's executive director.

The association, which serves 18 communities including all of those in the Deh Cho, used leadership funding to offer local coaching clinics and to help people attend clinics outside of their communities. The funding was also used to assist youth in getting a variety of sports-related certifications.

"Having leadership is so critical in the communities," Stipdonk said.

One of the most recent leadership initiatives the association funded was a five-month aquatic program in Hay River that finished in March. Sixty participants received a variety of certifications including those required for fitness instruction and life-guarding. The fact the association didn't receive funding for leadership programs isn't anyone's fault, there just isn't enough money to go around, she said.

"We're not discouraged," Stipdonk said.

She said the association will do the best it can with the money it has and try to find other ways to address the region's needs. The association is pleased to receive continued funding for community and regional sport development, she said.

In previous years, that funding has been used to support the Connie Louitit Memorial Soccer Tournament as well as summer sports camps and travel for various sports teams. Stipdonk said the association is willing to support any initiative that promotes physical activity. Sometimes that support takes the form of connecting communities with instructors instead of just providing funding.

While the association used to focus on youth, it is now working to address the needs of all age groups in the region, she said.

One such initiative is the snowshoe lending program. Through the program the association pays the cost of shipping snowshoes to groups that request them.

"We really think it's a great activity," said Stipdonk.

Very little planning is required to get people out snowshoeing, she said. The association has a collection of approximately 80 pairs of snowshoes available for lending.

The $7 million the NWT Sport and Recreation Council is distributing is from the sale of Western Canada Lottery products such as Lotto Max in the territory.

This is the first year the council has been able to offer multiple-year funding.

"We are excited," said Todd Shafer, the council's general manager.

Having multiple-year funding will provide continuity for the organizations, he said.

All of the initiatives that receive funding are evaluated to see if they are contributing to the council's priorities. such as increasing participation in physical activity for youth and adults, enhancing system capacity and increasing participation in collective physical activity at the regional and territorial levels.

Shafer said organizations have commented in the past few years that they need more funding. The evaluations will show if increased investment in the sector is warranted, he said.

Increased lottery ticket sales made the change possible.

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