Défi sportif AlterGo and the Collège Français de Longueuil are teaming up to launch their first fundraising campaign to raise awareness among young people about difference. This campaign will conclude with the Collège Français-AlterGo Tournament, an entire day devoted to trying out the adapted sport of wheelchair basketball.
To offer students a unique experience, various activities are planned throughout this awareness initiative. From March 18 to 22, students will experience wheelchair basketball during their physical education class. The gymnasium’s lunchtime activities will also be dedicated to this sport. Afterwards, all students, grouped by class and level, will compete in the Collège Français-AlterGo Tournament, which will be held on March 29. The tournament will conclude with a match between the tournament winner’s Secondary 5 team and the teachers’ team. Students were also given a motivational challenge: the group that raises the most money for the campaign will have the opportunity to play parahockey during a special day with Raphaëlle Tousignant, a member of the women’s national luge hockey team. To properly integrate the values of inclusion, a group of students will also do some volunteering during Défi sportif AlterGo.
The fundraising campaign, which runs from February 26 to April 1, hopes to raise $30,000 for Défi sportif AlterGo, which translates to $40 per student. The money raised will be used to purchase adaptive equipment for Défi sportif AlterGo. This material will benefit the more than 6,000 youths who will be participating in the school component of the event’s 36th edition from April 26 to May 5. It will also be used for other activities organized during the year, including the loan of equipment to organizations wishing to raise awareness about various adapted sports. “We are very touched to have the opportunity to launch this first initiative in collaboration with an educational institution. Our goal is to raise awareness and involve Collège Français’ youth so they can actively participate in making a difference. It is essential to encourage this type of event since participating means understanding a little more,” says Maxime Gagnon, President and CEO of AlterGo.
It is important for the Collège Français to convey social inclusion values to students. “The fundraising campaign not only promotes healthy habits among our youth, but also raises awareness about difference. By taking part in wheelchair basketball, they will be more sensitized to the importance of including people with functional limitations, particularly in sports,” says Stéphane Poupart, Director of the Collège Français de Longueuil.
Those who wish to make a contribution to the fundraising campaign are invited to visit the make a donation page.
