A personal story of how giving starts at home and in school
How one medical student pays it forward with Kids Run Club
The people, places and things we experienced as children can have a positive and lasting impact on our lives as adults. That’s the aim of Kids Run Club (KRC) – teaching kids healthy values and behaviours that will stick with them as they grow.
Was there someone in your childhood or youth who was a role model for you? Did you belong to a club or organization as a kid that’s made a life-long impression? Maybe it was a favourite teacher or coach who helped build your confidence or face a fear. The latter was the case for a former KRC participant-turned-coach-turned-medical student.
Childhood memories
Lauren Miller is in her third year at Dalhousie Medical School. She has a double major in biology and psychology from Acadia University.
As a child, she was a KRC participant at Ash Lee Jefferson Elementary School in Fall River, N.S. “When I did KRC, it was an after-school program,” says Ms. Miller. “We ran a loop around the school. We had pent up energy all day and released it during run club.”
Kids Run Club sparked a love of physical activity in Ms. Miller. Through KRC, she learned about the importance of movement, and now, as an adult, she does cross-fit four to five days a week to de-stress and feel good. “It’s always the best part of my day, that I do for myself.”
Self-care is important because of the added stressors due to COVID-19. Ms. Miller urges people to find a healthy outlet that keeps them happy and moving – and it doesn’t have to be rigorous exercise. She tells her practicum patients that even a 10-minute walk or taking the stairs are beneficial.
Family ties
Ms. Miller’s love of movement started with her family. Her father is Dr. Stephen Miller, an emergency room physician at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax. Dr. Miller coached KRC at his daughter’s elementary school. “Kids Run Club provides that space for role models,” says Ms. Miller. “You see that behaviour and think, ‘That’s how I want to be.’ It’s powerful.”
She went on to coach KRC herself. “I’ve also coached other sports and what I’ve noticed is many kids don’t know how to run. If you don’t learn the basic physical literacy to do that, you’re limited in what else you can do.”
KRC skill sets
Kids Run Club sets an important foundation. It gives youth the opportunity to acquire skills that are applied outside of school, like confidence, teamwork and goal setting.
“You also hear about the drop-out rate of women in sport, young girls in particular,” says Ms. Miller. “Kids Run Club taught me the importance of being visible as a role model to show youth that it’s OK to be strong, it’s OK to be fast or slow. Whoever you are, just be you. You’re good enough.”
Your support makes KRC possible
Because of the ongoing support of community members, individual donors and sponsors, we’re able to offer KRC for free to more than 16,000 kids in over 220 schools across Nova Scotia. Removing the cost barrier is also made possible because of our generous community champions. The fact it’s free is a huge plus.
This is important because cost is a barrier for one-third of Canadian parents enrolling their children in sports and activities. We also know that one in four children in Nova Scotia is experiencing poverty.
Also concerning is the fact that more than 42,000 Nova Scotian kids are considered to be obese or overweight. Ms. Miller says she’s seeing the impacts of inactivity in her medical studies.
“With COVID-19, the socioeconomic gap is widening. The things that have shut down are the more affordable options. That leaves people with really expensive gym memberships or private sports teams, and they’re not as accessible to all Nova Scotians.”
Why give to KRC?
Experts agree that active kids become active adults. Many habits form in childhood. The earlier we can create positive ones for kids, the better chance they have at becoming happy and healthy adults.
“You have the opportunity to set the foundation for the rest of their lives while instilling positive habits in them,” Ms. Miller says. “That’s what KRC is about, developing the values of healthy living, positivity and accountability – and that’s invaluable.”
Your donation to KRC means more children will have the chance to learn about the benefits of movement and form healthy habits they’ll have for life. And like Lauren Miller, that includes the chance to give back to their community and inspire the next generation to do the same.
Supporting KRC today is like savings in the health-care bank; building a healthy foundation for youth now = investing in a strong and vibrant future for Nova Scotia.