Many ways to help Cochrane be crowned Most Active Community

It's Day One in the month-long Participaction Community Better Challenge, and you can't help but believe Cochrane has a chance to be crowned the champs.

The Community Better Challenge is a nationwide physical activity challenge encouraging Canadians to get active during June. Municipalities, schools, workplaces, sport and recreation groups, and residents of all ages can track physical activity minutes through the free ParticipACTION app or its website.

The challenge is open to everyone, and all minutes tracked on the app and the website from June 1 – 30, will be counted towards a community’s total score.

After June 30, 50 finalist communities from across the country, including four from Newfoundland and Labrador, will be invited to submit an application explaining why they deserve to be Canada’s Most Active Community for a chance to win the $100,000 grand prize. 

Sport4Life Cochrane is spearheading the campaign in Cochrane after setting aside its previously planned series of try-me-free sessions.

They've been connecting with local organizations, schools, and individuals to participate.

Genevieve Boivin, Sport4Life Cochrane program coordinator, says all physical moment counts.

"When we talk about activities here, we talk about any movement counts," Boivin. "So, walking your dog, gardening, doing a set of jumping jacks during your Zoom meeting, and everything else like biking, running-- all these things count."

Local organizations can register their activities and special events, and their logged time will be added to Cochrane's total.

Cochrane does have several special events throughout June. The biggest is Footstock, which is being held as a virtual event from June 6 to 13. 

Seniors Week runs from June 7 to 13.

"They have fitness classes that they're going to run online, so Seniors Week can log on to the website as an organization and track the minutes of all of the participants that are in those fitness events."

For an overview of the Community Better Challenge, go here.

To sign up, visit here or download the Participaction app.