'Make it more accessible': Walk-a-thon raises awareness about importance of youth sports
Montreal sports lovers came together Saturday in the NDG borough to raise awareness about the importance of youth sports when it comes to mental health and community connection.
At the Power of Sports Walk-a-Thon, young athletes strolled alongside the likes of Alouettes quarterback coach Anthony Calvillo and pro basketball player Tevonn Walker.
The event raised over $125,000.
The funds will go to Montreal Community Cares, an organization that promotes youth sports, most known for its Red Rush basketball program.
Tevonn Walker has long been involved with Montreal Community Cares, joining the program when he was just 12 years old.
Since then, he's travelled the world playing basketball, and he credits community sports for making him the person he is today.
"When one door closes, a lot of people don't have any outlets to turn to," he told CTV News. "This program helps you make those doors open, build those relationships, and then all of a sudden you have choices, you have opportunity."
He hopes youth in NDG will have the same opportunities that were given to him through sports.
"Playing with Red Rush was kind of, was a way for me to build a family outside of my home."
RISE IN TEEN VIOLENCE
Sports were one of the first activities to be shut down when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Advocates say its ripple effects have been disastrous, with the province witnessing a sharp rise in youth violence.
Montreal saw at least five teens killed in youth-related violence over the past year and a half.
Volleyball plater Théjah Tavarez, who is a teen herself, said she and her friends are still healing.
"During the pandemic, a lot of teenagers started doing gang violence, guns shooting, all of that," she said.
"It was very emotionally tiring because I know we can be better than that."
In response to the violence, the City of Montreal has invested more than $7 million into youth programming and sports.
Denburk Reid, founder of Montreal Community Cares, wants the existed facilities to be renovated and, more importantly, for the programming to be made financially accessible to families.
"It's not about building something," he said."Rejuvenate a gym [...] but open it up to the community."
"Just make it more accessible."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.