Saskatoon ParticipACTION Community Challenge

Join Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas in the movement to get the word out, network, to build a stronger, healthier and more active City of Saskatoon
To win the challenge, become Canada's most active community spread the word that we want in and are ready to win!  There are a diverse and unique array of 30 forest events happening in June, here is but a sampling to help Saskatoon become Canada's Most Active Community!

1. Invigorating Inaugural: ParticipACTION Community Challenge Kicks Off National Health and Fitness Day!"
2. "EcoArt in the Woods: Celebrating Intergenerational Day with Community Art for Forest Conservation"
3. "Pedal Palooza: Ride into World Bicycle Day with RSBBAA's Cycling Extravaganza!"
4. "Wilderness Workout: Join in for Group Stretching & Fitness on National Trails Day"
5. "Every Species Counts - Climate Action: Commemorating World Environment Day!"
6. "Paws for Empathy: Dog Walking Event on Visually Impaired People Day"
7. "Feel The Thrill: Celebrates Global Running Day with a Heart-Pounding Event!"
8. "Pride in the Forest: Artistic Expressions for Gay and Lesbian Pride Month"
9. "Wheeling Wellness: Cycling-Friendly Event for Bike Week"
10. "Adventure Awaits! Join us for National Children's Day in the Forest

Check out pollinator merienda picnic at sunset, geocaching, team building activities, climate action, multicultural events and much, much more.  The Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas are grateful that groups and organisations have come on board as collaborators on ParticipACTION events. Come out to the 326 acre Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (RSBBAA), or to the 148 acre George Genereux Urban Regional Park (GGURP). Our motto is Come to Nature Come to Life!  Help us to honour the Father of the College of Kinesiology AND the Father of Canada’s ParticpACTION, Professor Emeritus Don Bailey, friend of George Genereux, Olympic gold medalist. Download the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Fit List for inspiration or attend one or all of the events being planned throughout June. 

ParticipACTION Community Challenge

About the ParticipACTION Community Challenge presented by Novo Nordisk

The Community Challenge is a national physical activity and sport initiative that encourages everyone in Canada to get active throughout June in search of Canada’s Most Active Community. The challenge is open to all organizations and individuals, ultimately recognizing Canada’s Most Active Community (help this be Saskatoon) and awarding it with $100,000 to support local physical activity and sport initiatives. In addition to the national winner, there is also a prize for the most active community in each province and territory as well as weekly organization prizing to be awarded throughout June.

The ParticipACTION Community Challenge presented by Novo Nordisk is proudly funded by the Government of Canada, Novo Nordisk and supporting partner, Saputo, and locally supported by ParticipACTION and TD ParksPeople.

Win Amazing Weekly Prizes: There are various prizes up for grabs for registering organizations, including Spirit Prizes, Inclusion Prizes, Capacity-Building Prizes, and Participation Prizes. These prizes can support a wide range of initiatives within your organization

Encourage Individuals to take the pledge: commit to getting active throughout June and browse different opportunities to help you move more where you live, learn and/or work!  Find your fit - gardening, walking, cycling, wheeling to the corner store, physical therapy, sports, walking the dog, walking meetings, stretches.

Arbor Week

The Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas have collaborated with SOS Trees in offering Branching Out: A Tree-Centric Celebration for Arbor Week Friday May 31 6:30 pm featuring guest speaker Councillor David Kirton.

and Tree-athlon at George Genereux Urban Regional Park Wednesday May 29 6:30 pm

Spread the word! Green infrastructure volunteer opportunity in Saskatoon on June 8

We're excited to announce an upcoming volunteer opportunity and would appreciate your help in spreading the word!

 Here’s a short blurb about our Living Cities project:

 The Saskatchewan Environmental Society is working with Green Communities Canada to transform a portion of the schoolyard at Howard Coad Community School into a native plant garden and outdoor learning space. Come join us on Saturday, June 8th and help make our city a more climate resilient and beautiful place to live!

 Sign up to volunteer here: http://bit.ly/livingcities2024 If online forms are not a possibility for you, feel free to reach out to our Living Cities Coordinator Elisabeth Walker at elisabethw@environmentalsociety.ca or by phoning the SES office at 306.665.1915.

Pollinator Celebration and Native Plant Market

Mark your calendars and set a reminder! It's time to go wild for wildflowers and the busy, buzzy insects that keep the world blooming and fruitful.
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Join us on Saturday June 9 for a Pollinator Celebration and Native Plant Market. Seek advice from experienced native-plant gardeners. Enjoy refreshments and conversation with other bee-and-butterfly enthusiasts. Purchase bedding plants and seeds of native flowers and grasses from local suppliers, Blazing Star Wildflower Seed Company and A Prairie Bouquet - Native Plant Nursery.
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This event will also feature special guest Joseph Naytowhow, an eco-fair, face-painting and more! Note that the event will be held rain or shine at the Buena Vista Garden & School Grounds in Saskatoon (McPherson Ave between 5th and 6th Street East).
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On May 15 Join Us to Celebrate Saskatchewan's Sustainability Champions

Celebrate Saskatchewan’s Sustainability Champions

RCE Saskatchewan’s 16^th Annual Awards for Achievement in Education for Sustainable Development

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 9:30 am – 2:00 p.m. CST, in-person and virtual (livestream: https://www.facebook.com/RCESask/videos).

Gallagher Centre, 455 Broadway Street West, Yorkton

RCE Saskatchewan’s Patron, His Honour the Honourable Russ Mirasty, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, will be in attendance. Interviews will be available during breaks in the program at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Join us for a unique event honouring champions in sustainability from across the province. The event will honour 41 Saskatchewan projects at a gathering focused on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The projects all educate, encourage and engage others in local action that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  Recipients will include homegrown projects and programs from such diverse groups as the Universities of Regina and Saskatchewan, SaskOutdoors, Ahtahkahkoop First Nation, Yorkton Community Fridge, Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation, and others. All dimensions of ecological, economic, social, and cultural sustainability are represented.

This is the 16^th year for the event, with more than 300 awards being presented since it was started in 2007.  RCE Saskatchewan created the awards to honour Saskatchewan sustainable development leaders from businesses, towns and cities, educational institutions and community-based organizations. The RCE is a voluntary network (with founding partners including the University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic), and is one of more than 190 Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development around the world that are formally recognized by the United Nations University. The event is held in a different community every year, this year being co-hosted with the Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society.

Several special recognitions will also be awarded.  The “Building Operator Training for the Community Housing Sector Conservation Learning Centre” by the Saskatchewan Environmental Society will be awarded the Excellence in Education for Sustainable Development in the Community Award.  Canora Composite School will receive the Lyle Benko Future Generations Award for its “CCS Wellness and Sustainability Initiative” project for outstanding Education for Sustainable Development in Kindergarten to Grade 12.  Brooke Klassen of the Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan will receive the Dr. Garth Pickard Award for Post-Secondary Excellence in Education for Sustainable Development for their “Embedding Sustainability in MBA 803: Business and Society”.  

The lunch keynote address on Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Future will feature, Kaitlyn Kitzan, a dedicated business development professional from Yorkton with a deep-rooted connection to agriculture.  After the awards ceremony, the event’s co-host will provide a guided tour of the downtown ending at the Historic Yorkton Brick Mill.

RCE SK Co-Coordinator, Dr. Roger Petry, is thrilled with another record number of applicants this year. “Saskatchewan has been and continues to be a global leader in sustainable development, and the positive, creative, and focused work of all our recipients is well deserving of recognition. Each has a wonderful story to tell, and our annual awards ceremony is their opportunity to shine.”

The 2024 event is sponsored by Mosaic, University of Saskatchewan, SaskEnergy, City of Yorkton (Gallagher Centre), University of Regina, SIGA, SaskTel, Campion College, Luther College at the University of Regina, MacPherson Engineering, and SaskOutdoors.

Additional attendees from the public are welcome but must pre-register with the Event Coordinator at rcesk.event@gmail.com.

Event Agenda 

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, Gallagher Centre, Yorkton

For more information:  

• RCE Event Organizer:  Abraham Bugre, rcesk.event@gmail.com or (306) 209-7346
• RCE Saskatchewan: Dr. Roger Petry, roger.petry@uregina.ca;
• RCE Saskatchewan Background: www.saskrce.ca and  What is RCE Saskatchewan Video
• Live Stream Event Contact: rcesk.event@gmail.com
• Event Co-host: Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society
• For media interviews with recipients and organizers:  Jill Forrester, text (306) 537-1809.

RCE Saskatchewan 2024 Award Recipients

On May 15 Join Us to Celebrate Saskatchewan's Sustainability Champions

Celebrate Saskatchewan’s Sustainability Champions

RCE Saskatchewan’s 16^th Annual Awards for Achievement in Education for Sustainable Development

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 9:30 am – 2:00 p.m. CST, in-person and virtual (livestream: https://www.facebook.com/RCESask/videos).

Gallagher Centre, 455 Broadway Street West, Yorkton

RCE Saskatchewan’s Patron, His Honour the Honourable Russ Mirasty, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, will be in attendance. Interviews will be available during breaks in the program at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Join us for a unique event honouring champions in sustainability from across the province. The event will honour 41 Saskatchewan projects at a gathering focused on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The projects all educate, encourage and engage others in local action that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  Recipients will include homegrown projects and programs from such diverse groups as the Universities of Regina and Saskatchewan, SaskOutdoors, Ahtahkahkoop First Nation, Yorkton Community Fridge, Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation, and others. All dimensions of ecological, economic, social, and cultural sustainability are represented.

This is the 16^th year for the event, with more than 300 awards being presented since it was started in 2007.  RCE Saskatchewan created the awards to honour Saskatchewan sustainable development leaders from businesses, towns and cities, educational institutions and community-based organizations. The RCE is a voluntary network (with founding partners including the University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic), and is one of more than 190 Regional Centres of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development around the world that are formally recognized by the United Nations University. The event is held in a different community every year, this year being co-hosted with the Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society.

Several special recognitions will also be awarded.  The “Building Operator Training for the Community Housing Sector Conservation Learning Centre” by the Saskatchewan Environmental Society will be awarded the Excellence in Education for Sustainable Development in the Community Award.  Canora Composite School will receive the Lyle Benko Future Generations Award for its “CCS Wellness and Sustainability Initiative” project for outstanding Education for Sustainable Development in Kindergarten to Grade 12.  Brooke Klassen of the Edwards School of Business, University of Saskatchewan will receive the Dr. Garth Pickard Award for Post-Secondary Excellence in Education for Sustainable Development for their “Embedding Sustainability in MBA 803: Business and Society”.  

The lunch keynote address on Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Future will feature, Kaitlyn Kitzan, a dedicated business development professional from Yorkton with a deep-rooted connection to agriculture.  After the awards ceremony, the event’s co-host will provide a guided tour of the downtown ending at the Historic Yorkton Brick Mill.

RCE SK Co-Coordinator, Dr. Roger Petry, is thrilled with another record number of applicants this year. “Saskatchewan has been and continues to be a global leader in sustainable development, and the positive, creative, and focused work of all our recipients is well deserving of recognition. Each has a wonderful story to tell, and our annual awards ceremony is their opportunity to shine.”

The 2024 event is sponsored by Mosaic, University of Saskatchewan, SaskEnergy, City of Yorkton (Gallagher Centre), University of Regina, SIGA, SaskTel, Campion College, Luther College at the University of Regina, MacPherson Engineering, and SaskOutdoors.

Additional attendees from the public are welcome but must pre-register with the Event Coordinator at rcesk.event@gmail.com.

Event Agenda 

Wednesday, May 15, 2024, Gallagher Centre, Yorkton

For more information:  

• RCE Event Organizer:  Abraham Bugre, rcesk.event@gmail.com or (306) 209-7346
• RCE Saskatchewan: Dr. Roger Petry, roger.petry@uregina.ca;
• RCE Saskatchewan Background: www.saskrce.ca and  What is RCE Saskatchewan Video
• Live Stream Event Contact: rcesk.event@gmail.com
• Event Co-host: Yorkton Brick Mill Heritage Society
• For media interviews with recipients and organizers:  Jill Forrester, text (306) 537-1809.

RCE Saskatchewan 2024 Award Recipients