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Community invited to take up the torch

Businesses and organizations can be torchbearers, support the Cowichan Sportsplex and maybe even win a great prize
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The Cowichan Sportsplex is fundraising by Passing the Torch this month.

Businesses and organizations can be torchbearers, support the Cowichan Sportsplex and maybe even win a great prize by taking part in an event called Passing the Torch.

Catherine Brandon, Sportsplex executive director, explained all about it.

“We take our torch trophy and pass it around town. Between Nov. 13 and Nov. 27, the torch will be physically passed between the people who become our torchbearers. To do that, they have donate $100 to the Sportsplex. We then take a picture of the torchbearer and their staff in their office and then post it on Facebook so other people can follow the torch as it passes around town.

“It’s such a fun idea and people really like being part of it. I think it’s the physical aspect of receiving the torch from somebody else,” she said.

Perhaps because most of us will never get to be a torchbearer in the Olympic sense?

“That could be it. And we also focus on the message as well. People who are receiving the torch are promoting the importance of health and fitness in our lives. It increased the chance of a happy future.”

The mandate at the Sportsplex is changing, too.

“Back at the beginning, we were really focused on building physical facilities here with all the fields and that. But over the last couple of years we’ve been re-evaluating what we’re going to mean to the community in the future. Being able to go out and share our message is important. In our busy day-to-day lives, we don’t always do what we know we should be doing. People just like to be part of spreading our positive message and saying, ‘Yes!’”

This year, the Sportsplex will also be sharing the message with elementary school students at the Valley’s public schools by distributing special bookmarks.

“The other thing that I like is we’re setting a good role model for the kids, too. If they see adults spreading an important message like this, it makes is real,” Brandon said.

Businesses or organizations who wish to get involved just need to contact the Sportsplex at torch@cowichansportsplex.com and express a willingness to donate $100.

“Then we will schedule them in when the torch starts making its rounds. That’s $100 well spent. It’s fun and brings the community together. The torch will be leaving from Scotiabank on Nov. 13. They are the presenting sponsor of this event and will match up to $5,000 of the money we raise. Also, to encourage people to become torchbearers, Cowichan Golf & Country Club has given us five rounds of golf for two, plus a cart. All the torchbearers will be put in a draw and one of them will win these 10 rounds of golf. That’s a great prize and there’s a good chance to win it, too.”