I’m an addict. I’ve been glued to the Olympics coverage on TV. I’m a zombie during the day because I must stay up each night to catch just one more Olympic event.
What a great time to be a Canadian. Our athletes are performing better than ever, and as we head into the second week of competition, our medal count grows by the day. Athletes are breaking personal bests, building great camaraderie and are making each of us proud to say we’re Canadian.
Watching the athletes take risks and push themselves to the edge reminds us how important it is to push ourselves in the things we do. As Canadians, they remind us we are just as good, if not better than everyone else, when we simply put our minds to it.
The Olympics also remind us of the importance of supporting local athletes every single day. I watched Emily Brydon’s hometown of Fernie, B.C., lead a pre-event rally at 5 a.m. local time.
They came out in masses, all ages and interests, and everyone was beaming with smiles. Now that is support.
Let’s let these stories ignite our own efforts at home. Challenge yourself to find ways to support our own athletes, our own programs and the amazing events and activities we have running in our province.
This time next year, Canada’s future Olympians will be participating here in Nova Scotia at the Canada Games. Now it’s your time to help our local athletes and help the Games showcase the best of Nova Scotia to all the Canadians visiting, tuning in and watching online. From volunteering to helping with local events in your own neighbourhood, the opportunities are endless, and the results are nothing but pure reward.
Celebration of sport and athleticism happen every day in our community. Watch a local basketball game, it could be the Halifax Rainmen, or one of our local university or high school leagues. Take in a Mooseheads game, or enjoy one of the many free skates happening in the community. Or grab a friend and use some of our many facilities around the city.
Being active, and encouraging and supporting other to be active is important. It helps us build valuable skills of teamwork and leadership, and being involved in our community, helps us build a stronger, more vibrant place to live. A place that we can all be proud to call home.
Christina Carew is a member of FUSION Halifax. Visit FUSIONHalifax.ca to find out how you can get involved to help make Halifax a better place to live, work and play.
