Sports

Winter Rec Library: A Great Way to Ski and Skate with Augustana

BY AMIELLE CHRISTOPHERSON/PHOTO BY SARAH LAFLAMME

Those walking through the Forum Nov. 27 would have seen a table set up in front of the Wellness Week motivational posters. Manned by Augustana Advancement staff, Assistant Director Bree Urkow and Communications Coordinator Sydney Tancowny, the two were helping spread the word about and collect donations for this year’s Giving Tuesday project.
Giving Tuesday is a follow up to the spending that happens during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, often putting funds towards community and social justice projects. This year, Augustana Advancement was collecting donations for a Winter Rec Library.
According to Jadene Mah, the Athletic Services Coordiantor, this project was encouraged by Dean Allen Berger almost three years ago. The idea is that the Winter Rec Library will be a borrowing program comprised of skates and cross country skis made available to Augustana students, “in part with the hope that we could promote an active outdoor life during the winter for our international students,” said Mah in an e-mail.
Mah said, Nordic Legend, Les Parsons, pushed the project forward and contacted Head Librarian Nancy Goebel, whom Mah said “was on board immediately!”, and Feisal Kirumira, as an International Student Advisor. Almost three years later, with much support from ED of Student Life, Randal Nickel, the project is starting to take off.
The parties involved with making this project a reality are the Augustana Library, the Augustana Vikings’ Nordic Club Team, Campus Recreation – Student Life, Augsutana Advancement, and Dean of Students’ Office.
During Giving Tuesday, the group was looking to raise $4,000 for the project, which already includes a $2,000 matching gift. They have also already received an additional grant of $7,000 from the Dean of Students’ Office to make this project a reality.
Although the bulk of the fundraising effort was done through Giving Tuesday on Nov. 27, the Winter Rec Library is still accepting gifts. Those who are interested in donating can visit the Office of Advancement (L-34D AG01 Founders Hall) or do so online, indicating the gift is for the Augustana Innovation Fund (Giving Tuesday-Winter Rec Library).
All fundraised monies will go towards costs of the project, which includes purchasing skis and skates and storage cabinets.
The group is looking to purchase 20 complete sets of cross country skis and 10 pairs of boots to go along with them and an undecided number of hockey style skates.
Although ski donations are not being accepted, skates can be donated, as long as they’re hockey skates in good conditions. The sizes most needed are men’s 8, 9, and 10. Those can be dropped off at the Augustana Fitness Centre with name and contact information.
To go along with the equipment, there will also be programming put in place. There will be Learn to Ski and Learn to Skate programs rolled out in the New Year.
“Programming will include instruction and encouragement from the Nordic and hockey teams,” said Mah, adding that, “the ‘learn to’ opportunities are critical parts of our larger plan to encourage campus rec involvement.”

Vikings Rec Takes on a New Look

BY ALIZA GRAHAM

Augustana Campus Vikings Rec Council offers fun and exciting campus and community recreation activities. The Vikings Rec set up features drop-in programs such as basketball, volleyball, badminton, and yoga as well as intramural leagues, including ultimate Frisbee during fall term, and flag football in winter term. In addition, golf tournaments, dodgeball extravaganzas and more are featured as special events. Vikings Rec also has a “learn-to” feature, in which you can learn to play cricket, to curl, to golf, to ice skate, to cross country ski and much more. For more information, visit the Augustana website and the IMLeagues website.

Augustana students who are paying an Athletic/Rec fee are eligible for all recreation programs and activities featured by Vikings Rec. Augustana staff and faculty, community fitness centre members with a valid monthly membership, and the general public are also eligible for some programs and activities. If you want to bring an off-campus friend to a Vikings Rec activity, see the program information for details. To find out more about a program and register for activities, register on IMLeagues . There you can create your own profile and sign up for the activities of your choice.

On the IMLeagues website you can get in the game and register for active teams. Under the “Fitness” heading you can find fitness classes and drop-in activities. Team and free agent registrations are accepted for drop-in activities and league sports. Learn-to sessions are individual registration only, whereas tournaments are team registration only.

On the website, you can view currently Active sports for Fall 2018. Coming up in Winter 2019, right in the New Year on Jan. 1 at 8 a.m. until Feb. 1 at 6 p.m., you can join the Curling Bonspiel. On the website, you can also access an overview of all fitness classes and drop-ins offered in December 2018.

One option offered is drop-in for beginner yoga at the Learning Commons. Beginner’s Yoga is designed to help you relax, reduce stress, and restore your body and mind; you will learn the basic Hatha Flow poses and breathing techniques to calm your busy mind. At 7 p.m. on Nov. 29 and 30 and on Dec. 1, drop by the Augustana Gymnasium for climbing; no experience is necessary. The climbing wall offers top roping and bouldering, harnesses are available, as well as ropes and other climbing hardware that are maintained by the climbing wall staff. There is a limited assortment of climbing shoes available, but you may bring your own clean, non-marking running shoes to use for climbing.

On another note, the City of Camrose also has recreation options that you can check out. Consider joining the Rose City Curling Club. Also, the Community Centre/Field House has indoor pickleball, and the Recreation Centre has adult shinny and public skating. Camrose has a great urban park system, check out the trail map and get outside to go cross-country skiing.

There are many different recreation opportunities available, the Vikings Rec set up and the IMLeagues website makes it easy for you to join in on your favorite activities or step out of your regular routine and learn something new and exciting. Just set up your profile and get started by checking out the different programs offered, and then you can start building your schedule. No matter what you are looking for Vikings Rec can help you have fun and get active by taking part in their recreational fitness programs.