January 12, 2012 Volume 11 • Number 2 50¢ Newsstand Price
downtown
INSIDe
To knit or not to knit... what a stupid question
electrictree yarns
Free computer classes – page 2
also
Open late Fridays
ATEC gets you prepared – page 5
290 3rd Avenue
Open Tues-Sat 10am-5pm 778-471-6073 www.electrictree.ca
your neighbourhood. your newspaper.
Unique hockey program for special needs kids
Ph
Here in the city of Kamloops we love hockey. We ice time and learn to skate and play hockey,” continlove professional hockey, we love semi-proues Alex. “Our long term goal is to work with fessional hockey, we love junior hockey, similar teams in other cities (Kelowna, Verwe love casual hockey and we love to non, Penticton) and start a league where teach our kids the game of hockey. these kids can play against each other Alex de Chantal, Health and Wellaround the Thompson Okanagan. ness Coordinator for the City of The program started last week Kamloops knows this and is but we still have space for more super excited to see the new kids to join even if they are hockey program he devellate signing up!” oped start last week. That Alex and his team have program is the first ice put much thought into the hockey program for youth different approaches and with special needs in Katactics they would use to mloops, and with support teach this group how to from the community has play hockey. They have become a reality. worked together to de“We worked with some velop visual cues that local organizations in will help to give visual town - People in Motion, prompts to the kids about Kamloops Autism, Chris what the practice plan Rose Center for Autism, looks like for that day. and Insight Support Servic“These ‘posters’ will help es to identify what age groups to list what drills are going would benefit from this proon next, and what drills will gram in Kamloops,” explains be coming up after,” he says. Alex. “We wanted to ensure our “In my research, I found that program was open to a wide age programs in the lower mainland op sB range as well as boys and girls.” had great success using these visual EY fr earlug Jan 12.indd 1 la ze rs The end result is a program aptly prompts when working with this demoHo ck ey named Hockey for Youth with Special graphic. The goal is to give them a visual Clu b. Needs. It is a program for boys and girls from breakdown of the schedule as we have been age five to 16 years who have developmental detold it helps to alleviate any anxiety they may feel lays. The only requirement it has is the participant must about the practice plan.” be able to stand on skates. Maybe even better than the program itAlex has partnered with the Blazers Sports Society, the Kamself is the fact that siblings are encouraged to participate as well (regular loops Blazers, Consignor Sports, and Player’s Bench to offer the best registration fees apply) and that parents are also welcome on the ice. program possible. The sponsors have been very generous and the “The goal is to provide an opportunity for these kids to enjoy some – continued on page 2 oto
co
ur
te
sy
of
Ka
m
lo
C
A
F
F
E
FinE CoFFEEs & tEAs
m
o
dEssErts
t
i
v
o
light lunChEs
229 Victoria Street 250-372-3565 449 Tranquille Road 250-376-0058 Royal Inland Hospital (Front Entrance) FoRmERly Cowboy CoFFEE