More than 70 young people from across Treaty 3 gathered in Kenora last week for a basketball clinic that organizers say was about much more than learning the game.
The Courtside Care event, hosted by the Youth and Family Wellness Camp in partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the Toronto Raptors and Sun Life, combined basketball instruction with a community health fair designed to connect youth and families with local support services.
The clinic welcomed participants between the ages of 6 and 20, with youth travelling from several Treaty 3 communities, including Wabauskang, Niisaachewan, Wauzhushk Onigum, Grassy Narrows, Naotkamegwanning, Northwest Angle No. 33, and Washagamis Bay First Nation, as well as families from Kenora.
Katie Root, camp director at the Youth and Family Wellness Camp, told the Miner and News the day exceeded expectations.
“It was amazing,” Root said. “It was filled with so much happiness and joy, fostering relationships, building connections, and learning about some of the wonderful services we offer here in Kenora.”
Alongside basketball drills led by coaches from the Raptors 905 organization, families had the opportunity to visit booths hosted by local organizations offering health, wellness and support services. Representatives from the Northwestern Health Unit, WNHAC, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Lake of the Woods District Hospital, and the Youth Hub itself all participated in the event.
In total, nearly 100 people attended, including parents and guardians.
Root said one of the highlights was watching young people who had never met before quickly form friendships.
“They’re all giving each other high fives and walking out just sharing a sense of pride,” she said. “At the end of the day, everyone felt like they were supposed to be there.”
She said bringing the Raptors organization to Kenora offered youth a chance to see opportunities beyond their own communities while reinforcing the power of sport to connect people.
“I think it’s important for people to see what’s possible,” Root said. “The power of sport is amazing. It can bring people together, build community and create opportunities.”
One moment that stood out came at the end of the clinic when a young camper with additional support needs received the event’s overall all-star award and a signed Raptors jersey.
“It was so amazing to see,” Root said. “He got to come back to camp the next day and tell everyone what he had won.”
The clinic was the first Courtside Care event hosted by the Youth and Family Wellness Camp and, according to Root, the largest one held through the program so far.
She hopes it will be the first of many.
“We’d love to see more clinics come,” she said. “We just want to keep growing.”
Beyond special events like the basketball clinic, the Youth and Family Wellness Camp operates year-round, offering seasonal celebrations, after-school programming, the Indigenous Rookie League baseball program, summer camps and employment opportunities for youth throughout the region.
Root credited Sun Life, MLSE, the Toronto Raptors, the camp’s Right To Play and Indigenous Rookie League teams, staff and volunteers for making the event possible.
“If people want to find out more about what we do, visit our new website at wellnesscamp.ca,” she said.
