There was a 20th anniversary celebration in Quinte West Tuesday night for Canadian Tire Jumpstart.
The event took place at the John Williams Quinte West YMCA, where Jumpstart representative Harry Bell provided $15,000 to Wheelchair Basketball Quinte for three new wheelchairs.
Bell, who has been with Jumpstart since day one, says it has been an amazing ride.
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“You know over the past 20-years with the evolution of the charity, the number of kids that we’ve helped. We helped our four millionth child across Canada, as of last fall.”
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Wheelchair Baseketball Quinte at the John Williams Quinte West YMCA
Bell says they provide funding through two different streams.
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“We have individual child grants, where parents can apply through our website for hockey, soccer, gymnastics, lacrosse, whatever the kids want to play. For families that qualify, they can get up to $600 per year per child for whatever sport and activity they want. On the Community Development Grant side, we do the programs through the YMCA’s, through Boys and Girls Clubs, through school.”
Katherine Kerr-Pankow founded Wheelchair Basketball Quinte in 2013 and says when she started it, they did not have a home for the program.
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Guest Speaker Gus Sacrey and Katherine Kerr-Pankow (Wheelchair Basketball Quinte)
Kerr-Pankow says the Y stepped up and partnered.
Since then the program has expanded and more wheelchairs were needed.
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“We recently put in an application to Canadian Tire Jumpstart and we we’re granted $15,000 With that money we are going to purchase some new sport wheelchairs so we can meet the demands of our ever growing program.”
Wheelchair Baseketball Quinte at the John Williams Quinte West YMCA
