ROC Eastman wants to help your kids get involved in recreation

ROC Eastman exists to help connect children in the Eastman region with recreational opportunities. 

Steph McLean, Development Coordinator for ROC Eastman, says it is important that families with barriers to recreation opportunities for their children reach out to ROC Eastman. 

This is because recreation is so valuable, especially for kids. 

“There's lots of studies that have been done about the benefits of recreation and how that helps overall health, family health, community health.” 

She says a lot of people believe recreation means sports, which it does, but it also means music, the arts, literature, and more. 

“Our definition of recreation is anything that brings you joy that isn't work. And so if we can help get those little sparks of joy through recreation, that's really big.” 

Quite often, families have a hard time finding resources or struggle with reaching out to access support.

McLean says a lot of times when things don't go according to plan, it's hard to say it out loud. 

"We can be a support, and we can be a resource to help either navigate a new plan, or help get back to the original plan, or be a support system that if there is no plan at all, that we can sit down with families and say, ‘let us sit with you and support you in making a new plan.’” 

To learn more or to reach out, visit roceastman.ca. 

McLean says you can contact them for many different reasons. 

“If you would like to donate, or perhaps you have books, sports equipment, or musical instruments that you would love to pass along to another family, we are connectors and we can do that.” 

She adds that you can also refer families, and families can reach out directly if they have questions or want to utilize the different types of support they offer. 

With files from Judy Peters