Playing for Keeps Volunteer Ambassadors celebrate one-year countdown to the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games on July 10

Grab a friend, a boccia ball, and join 300 Playing for Keeps (P4K) Volunteer Ambassadors at the City Hall Rotunda on July 10, as they celebrate the one-year countdown to the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games.  The Volunteer Ambassadors will lead guests in a game of boccia, similar to lawn bowling, which will be a featured sport at next year’s Games.

“P4K Volunteer Ambassadors have been working tirelessly to engage their communities through play in support of building more inclusive, welcoming and active neighbourhoods,” said Rahul K. Bhardwaj, President & CEO, Toronto Community Foundation. Toronto Community Foundation, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and Toronto Pearson are the lead partners in the P4K collaboration of over 35 organizations.

Since 2012, P4K has made it possible for 650 newcomers, youth, and long-time residents to participate in special training facilitated by George Brown College. The training curriculum includes civic engagement, event planning, citizenship, and communications. Equipped with these new skills, the Volunteer Ambassadors organize “P4K Neighbourhood Games” in their communities to bring people together across generations to share an experience, have fun and play.

To date, Volunteer Ambassadors have delivered 500 Neighbourhood Games involving over 9,000 participants in the Greater Toronto Area.

“Neighbourhood Games serve as the first opportunity for P4K Volunteer Ambassadors to put their civic engagement training into practice and to showcase their leadership,” said Bhardwaj.  “With their new skills, these Volunteer Ambassadors can be volunteers for the Games in 2015 and long-term leaders in their communities.”  

Councillor Mark Grimes, City Council Champion for the Games, will be a featured speaker at the event, alongside Gillian Smith from the Institute for Canadian Citizenship, a P4K partner.

“In addition to our athletes, the Pan/Parapan Am Games will put the spotlight on our volunteers and diverse communities,” said Councillor Grimes. “Playing for Keeps is all about the value of volunteerism and community vitality.”

P4K was piloted through the 2012 Ontario Summer Games and named a key legacy. It is now a featured project of IGNITE, TO2015’s community partnership program designed to promote sports, physical activity, healthy living, recreation and arts and culture leading up to the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games.

About Playing for Keeps 
Playing for Keeps is about people and neighbourhoods developing healthier, more active, and better connected communities through play! Why play? Play gets us outside, connected with others, helps to build trust, and bonds us through laughter, team spirit and shared experience.

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For more information, please contact:

Simone Dalton
Manager, Media Relations & Communications
Toronto Community Foundation
(O) 416-921-2035 ext. 218
(C) 416-809-5036
(E) [email protected]