YourSaskatoon Blogs
Brainsport Times Nov. 23, 2016
Congratulation to everyone who participated in the Gingerbread Run this past Sunday! It was a beautiful day for the event, and we were so happy to you all out there having a great time.
In this week's Times we have a special guest for our Q&A - Mayor Charlie Clark! Mayor Clark, who prefers to be called Charlie, has been a long time supporter of Brainsport, and the independent business scene as whole in Saskatoon. He is also a runner himself and very committed to creating a city conducive and encouraging of an active lifestyle for all Saskatonians. With Charlie's very busy schedule we were pleased to be able to snag him for a couple of questions this week.
Q&A with Mayor Charlie Clark
Tara: First, congratulations on your well run campaign and election victory. With your long history as a Saskatoon City Councillor you have a great deal of experience working with people from all walks of life in Saskatoon. How do you plan on creating an environment that moves Saskatoon towards being a city where all citizens have the opportunity to thrive?
Charlie: The Mayor is in a unique position to set the tone for the City. One of my core principles as a human being is that diversity is what gives us strength as people, that we need to have people of different perspectives and experiences to help solve the problems we face. There are too many examples in our history, and still today of attempts to build societies based on segregating, stereotyping, and dividing people. We don't have to look further than Donald Trump for examples.
Saskatoon is becoming much more diverse and we have important work to do to create a city of partnerships among all of our people. From the First Nations and Metis communities to new Syrian Refugee families who have just arrived and everyone in between. My goal is to build relationships with the leadership of our different community groups and support the collaborative efforts that are underway such as Reconciliation Saskatoon and Multi-Faith Saskatoon and help bring these efforts to the next level.
As a smaller city that still has a sense of community we have a chance to be a leader in building a well-integrated community with shared opportunity. This is crucial for future success.
If you look closely at the bunnyhug Charlie is wearing in this photo from the Santa Claus Parade you'll see he's supporting Brainsport's Gingerbread Run. Photo Supplied
Tara: Each year the Brainsport Shoe Donation Program puts thousands of pairs of shoes on the feet of those in need throughout Saskatoon. The store also has the Community Room, which is open for members of the community to book for free for events from art shows to yoga classes. What role will this kind of community-oriented mindset play in the overall growth of Saskatoon?
Charlie: Brainsport's model of business and community partnership has set a tremendous example of integrating business and social goals together. From the early development of the Running Club, Brainsport showed that building a community is a great foundation to help grow a business from, and has carried this on through the Shoe Donation program and establishment of the Community Room.
This is an awesome example to help inspire other businesses and to see how successful you can be when you go beyond just giving money away as donations but actually integrating community building into your business model. This is also a reminder of the power of locally owned businesses that are grounded in the local community. With owners like Brian and Elizabeth who live and breathe this town, supported by so many long standing staff who are also rooted here, your initiatives and impacts are intimately tied to the lives of people in Saskatoon.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2016 PR Athletics First Chance Meet
This track meet is an opportunity for those born in 2007 or later to compete on December 3 at the Saskatoon Field House. All athletes will receive a medal. Entries will be limited to the first 50 entrants. For more information contact Ivan Tam at
4th Annual Lighten Up Fun Run
Looking to get into the festive spirit? Get out your bells and battery-operated i.e.d lights and decorate yourself for a fun run on December 18 at 6:30 p.m. The run starts and finishes at D'lish. Hot beverages and dainties will be be provided by D'lish. No fee, no registration, just come have fun. Bike and well behaved pets are welcome too. This is a very easy pace 2.5 mile loop. For more details visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/394467787608552/.
Athletics Canada Road Running Survey
Athletics Canada is asking runners to take a moment to fill out the 2016 Athletics Canada Road Running Survey. These questions allow Athletics Canada to learn more about Canadian runners and provide a better experience in 2017. As a thank you, you can receive a coupon for 15% off at http://shop.athletics.cathat is good until December 31, 2016. Click the following link to get started: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3028417/c3ba78016764.
Start2Finish
Every week, at one of Saskatoon's community schools, volunteers and children come together for a running and reading program called Start2Finish. The program aims to break the cycle of poverty by providing ongoing educational support to Saskatoon's at-risk children. You run, read, and share a word of the day with the group of kids. Start2Finish not only allows you the opportunity to give back to the community, and gain a rewarding experience, but also allows you to help children grow in a positive way. If you are interested in giving a couple hours of your time email http://
Charity Challenge - Hike Machu Picchu, Peru
Hike to Machu Picchu, Peru May 13 to 20, 2017!
This is an opportunity for a great adventure, while also funding life-saving research to beat blood cancers through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. Join challenge leader, Mavis Derksen at the Brainsport Run Club Wednesday's at 6 p.m. where she'll be leading a weekly walk in preparation for the hike! For more information go to:https://www.charitychallenge.ca/expedition2.html?id=1885&cid=3106.
Triathlon Training
Transition Sport and Fitness is offering Distance Group, or Personalized Coaching for anyone wanting to take their swim, bike, or run training to the next level.
Visit www.transitionsportandfitness.cafor more info on all programs.
Product of the Week
Ecologik Cleaning Products
Come visit us at Brainsport and we'll be happy to tell you more about these products and what may best suit you. You can also check out Ecologik's website here to learn more about this outstanding local company.
Thanks for reading the Times this week . . gotta run . . .Tara
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