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36 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday July 18, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com More kids will get active More Oakville children and youths will get to go to the YMCA of Oakville and its summer camps thanks to a provincial government funding boost. Children's physical activity habits are formed by age 11 and last the rest of their lives. In order to get children and youths active, the Ontario government is providing $1.25 million to the YMCAs of Ontario to help kids lead healthier lives. The investment by the Ministry of Health Promotion to YMCA Strong Kids will enable YMCAs and YMCAYWCAs across Ontario to provide access to recreation and summer camps to more than 10,000 children and youths from low-income families. "We're very excited about this opportunity to reach more kids who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford the full cost of participation in a YMCA program or activity," said Bruce Ireland, president and CEO of the YMCA of Oakville. "The YMCA of Oakville will receive $47,900 of the funding from the Ontario government. It will go towards our summer day camp program and memberships in the membership centre located on Rebecca Street," said Ireland. "This funding will allow us to provide assistance to an additional 240 children and youths in our community," said Ireland. "The Ontario government's investment in the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign will help ensure that all children and youth have access to recreation programs," said Margarett Best, Ontario's Minister of Health Promotion. "We are very pleased to have the YMCA as a partner because they demonstrate outstanding leadership in the areas of health, fitness and recreation and this builds on our commitment to improve the health and well-being of all Ontarians," said Best. Each YMCA association offers unique programs to serve the needs of their community. By building stronger kids, we build stronger families. By building stronger families, we build a stronger community. The YMCAs of Ontario reach more than 1 million people annually and 73 per cent of the people served by the YMCA are children and youths. In Oakville, the YMCA offers child care, summer camp, community programs, free parent/child programs and membership services and provided fee assistance to 1,227 participants in 2007. Reaching into the smallest and the largest communities in Ontario, the YMCA is a charity based on community support and development, helping the members of Oakville and other communities to grow and flourish.