City Wins Grand Prize for Being Sun Aware

For Immediate Release                                         
Tuesday, May 31, 2016

The City of Greater Sudbury is proud to announce it was chosen as the grand prize winner of the Hypar Shade Camp Contest from the Melanoma Network of Canada‘s Screen Me Youth Sun Aware Camp Program. A custom shade sail system will be installed at the James Jerome Sports Complex near the children’s play area.

City of Greater Sudbury Leisure Services staff entered the competition in the fall of 2015.

The shade, valued at $22,000, is built to withstand any summer weather and provide a shaded, safe area for families to escape the sun. The shade measures 20 feet by 20 feet and offers full UV protection.

“It’s important that kids get the information and the sun safe tools they need to have fun and play safe.”Mayor Brian Bigger said.

The James Jerome Sports complex receives more than 130,000 players and spectators each year. This site is also home to more than 2,250 campers each summer including the City of Greater Sudbury’s Sports Sampler Camp.

“At our City of Greater Sudbury day camps, we believe that outdoor activities are a key part of healthy lifestyle,” Cindy Dent, Manager of Recreation for the City of Greater Sudbury said.

“By educating youth about sun safety, we are helping parents foster positive, lifelong sun safety habits.”

The Healthy Kids Community Challenge initiative will also be rewarding the Greater Sudbury Day Camp participants by donating sunscreen and sun hats to the camps.

“When we heard of the great work the City’s Day Camp employees were doing with educating kids on how to be sun safe, we saw an opportunity to get involved and help by donating sun-safe gifts that go even further and help kids implement what they’ve learned,” Kate Barber, HKCC said.

“We’re always excited to help our community partners find new ways to promote a healthy and happy lifestyle.” Kate?

Criteria for the contest included:

• Camps must have been registered in the Sun Aware Camp Program in 2015, completed the post-season assessment and successfully achieved the  Screen Me Sun AwareSun Safe Certification (September 2015
• Demonstrate how sun safety has been incorporated into camp programs.  Describe what has been done to measure the success of the program?  Explain how is the program was translated to parents and families?
• Camps were required to submit an explanation of where and why they needed the shade structure, how it would be used and what impact it would have on camper activities.
• Camps were also asked to submit photos, videos, testimonials of their 2015 sun safety in action, with permission for MNC to use these images.

For more information on the Hypar Shade Camp Contest please visit http://www.screenme.ca/hypar-shade-system-contest-winner/

For More information on the Healthy Kids CC please visit http://www.sudburyfamilies.ca/healthykids/

-30-