Inside this Issue:

• Holiday Greetings from the Board and Staff
• Office Hours and Staff during the Holiday Season
• Return to Play Update
• Virtual Programs – Holiday Schedule .
• Volunteers – THANK YOU!!!
• In Memory of Margaret (Peggy) Casey

1. Holiday Greetings from the Board and Staff

Dear members and supporters, we take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very Wonderful Festive Season, and all the best for however you celebrate this time of the year. Our warm wishes go out to you and we hope that you find peace, joy and happiness in this holiday season.

We hope you have been able to stay safe, well, and active during 2020. Thanks to those of you who have reached out to us to let us know how you are staying active, and how you are using our activities posted online. We want to keep hearing from you. If you haven’t already done so, check these activities out – begin at week one. If you have done these before – do them again with some modifications, see if you have improved, or check out some of the links we have posted in each lesson. These activities are great for a variety of ages and skill levels. We have also been providing activity information through some of our partner organizations so if you are looking for something different or specific – let us know.

We know It has been a bit of a different year for many of us – with some sports, activities, and school visits being shut down all together, and some available in a limited or virtual sense. We have been happy to work with you to find solutions to help keep you active and will continue to do so. In some cases we can arrange for equipment loans or ideas for alternative equipment or equipment modifications. We can also help train new guides, or provide online programming. We are here to help you be active.

If you haven’t checked out our virtual programming (Fitness, Dragon Boat Fitness, or Yoga), these will be offered in January again – so try it out.

We hope you have a safe, Festive Season, and we wish you all the very best for a happy and healthy 2021!

2. Office and staff holiday hours

As the office will be closed from December 24th to January 4th to the members and public. The staff will be checking emails, phone messages and the mail between Dec 24th thorough to January 4th. We will do our best to respond to any messages within a 24 hour time line.

3. Return to Play Updates

The sports of Goalball and Ice Hockey are on hold until January because of the new provincial health orders. We will let you know when a new start up date is available. Tennis is now finished for the holiday season and will resume on January 6th at the regular time.

All new participants in any of these program require you to register with a staff person at BC Blind Sports prior to attending a program.

For information on when in person programs will start up again, what you need to know to participate or how to register in any of these sports, please contact Mike Lonergan at the office 604-325-8638 or email him at mike@bcblindsports.bc.ca and he will give you the details you need to get back in the game. Read the BC Blind Sports Return to Sport on our website.

4. Virtual Programs – Holiday Schedule

There are no classes during the week of Dec 28th thru to Jan 1st, the schedule is below.

Dragon Boat Training with Cindy
Monday December 21st 7:30pm to 8:30pm
Tuesday December 22nd 9:30am to 10:30am
January 4th at 7:30pm to 8:30pm
January 5th at 9:30am to 10:30pm

Fitness with Brian –
December 23rd and 24th No classes
January 6th 2pm to 3pm
January 7th 7pm to 8pm

Chair Yoga with Candice
December 24th 12:00 noon to 1:00pm
January 7th 12 noon to 1:00pm

5. VOLUNTEERS – THANK YOU!!!

You’re our greatest resources – We at BC Blind Sports are so grateful for all your hard work. Your help, enthusiasm and commitment to our programs make them the success they are.

Your willingness to participate in our in-person programs from goalball, ice hockey, tennis to the sport guides and volunteers who attend the virtual programs, you have helped make them very successful during this time. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work together through the protocols and changes to the way we play sports We look forward to seeing you all in the New Year. THANK YOU!!!!

6. In Memory of Margaret (Peggy) Casey

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Peggy Casey on Saturday December 12th Peggy passed away in Vancouver, peacefully with her family by her side, she was 92. Peggy was committed to the sport of Lawn Bowling in every way. From promoting the sport, working with volunteers, and being an excellent bowler, Peggy helped the sport grow for partially sighted and blind participants. She excelled and attended many competitions including the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta USA. She held several positions on our Board and sat on several committees thought her career as an athlete. Peggy was a great ambassador for BC Blind Sports and was always willing to help when needed. She will be missed very much. Guest book and obituary link.

SEASONS GREETING AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

From all of us at BC Blind Sports

In this Issue:

• Return to Play Updates
• Virtual fitness, Dragon Boat Dryland Training, and Yoga Programs via Zoom
• Canadian Blind Sports Association’s – Women’s Active Living Engagement Network
• Giftwrapping

1. Return to Play Updates

At this time goalball, hockey and tennis have been suspended until we get further notice from the Provincial Health authorities to start up again.

All programs require you to register with a staff person at BC Blind Sports prior to attending a program.

Please also note that the current recommendation for physical activity is to stay three (3) meters physical distance from anyone else during physical activity. Current provincial orders are that no in person group physical activities are to be offered for adults. Please contact us about checking out our virtual activities. There are also activities for all age groups to try available on our website.

For information on when in person programs will start up again, what you need to know to participate or how to register in any of these sports, please contact Mike Lonergan at the office 604-325-8638 or email him at mike@bcblindsports.bc.ca and he will give you the details you need to get back in the game. Read more information on return to sport.

2. Virtual Fitness, Dragon Boat Dryland Training, and Yoga Programs via Zoom

Schedule is listed below. All classes are approximately 40 min. with a water break at about the 20 min. mark. Also please have a sturdy chair to sit on.

Chair Yoga with Candice. We are pleased to announce a new Chair Yoga class via Zoom. – Candice has been instructing our classes in the Chilliwack area for the past 2 years. She is a 500 Registered Yoga Therapist with experience in a variety of types of yoga. Her approach in yoga therapy is building a practice around the needs of the people she serves. Please see the schedule of classes below and for additional information about this class please contact Susan.

SCHEDULE

Dragon Boat Dryland Training with Cindy
Monday 7:30pm to 8:30pm
Tuesday 9:30am to 10:30am

Fitness with Brian
Wednesdays 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Thursday 7:00pm to 8:00pm

Chair Yoga with Candice
Thursday 12:00 noon to 1:00pm

Zoom Invites for all classes will be sent out no later than one hour prior to the class.
Please join us by replying to Susan’s email susan@bcblindsports.bc.ca and indicate which class(s) you would like to join.

3. CANADIAN BLIND SPORTS ASSOCIATION’S Women’s Active Living Engagement Network

Canadian Blind Sports Association is pleased to announce the launch of the Women’s Active Living Engagement Network.

This network is for Canadians who identify as female and are blind, partially-sighted, deafblind or visually impaired with a desire to come together and share their personal aspirations and challenges of active living during this time of physical distancing and isolation.

Specific Active Living topics will be chosen according to Network participants’ needs and preferences as we connect with each other and Canadian Blind Sports members and partners to promote health and wellness through the pandemic and beyond.

We will kick off within the next few weeks with a telephone conversation about active living challenges and successes during these unprecedented times. Women together can be a strong collective voice, so spread the word!

If you would like to register or require additional assistance or more information, please email Marilyn Rushton at mrushton@shaw.ca or call 778.386.7951. We look forward to hearing from you!

4. Giftwrapping at Tsawwassen Mills Mall

Unfortunately, due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases across the country, our giftwrapping fundraiser has been cancelled by the mall management, Thank you to all the volunteers who where scheduled to volunteer. We hope to be back next year to raise some much need funds for our programs and at the same time provide Tsawwassen Mill’s customers with a wonderful service. We appreciate the support we have received from the management and customers at Tsawwassen Mills.

Take care – We hope you are all doing well and staying safe and active. Please contact us if you need some activity suggestions as we move into the holiday season.

From all of us at BC Blind Sports
Stay Safe, Active and Connected to us!