Fleming College

Peterborough ON – (May 15, 2015) – A day of workshops on inclusive sport and physical recreation will take place at Fleming College’s Sutherland Campus on Friday, May 29.

The 2nd biannual Inclusion Conference is organized by the Peterborough Council for Persons with Disabilities (PCPD) in partnership with Fleming’s Diversity Office. The theme for the conference is Active Together: Inclusive Sport and Physical Recreation.

The conference features keynote speaker Alec Denys, a Paralympian in archery and a torchbearer for the ParaPan Am Games taking place this summer in Toronto. An advocate, community volunteer and avid outdoorsman, Alec will share valuable lessons he has learned adapting to a world that is disabling, both physically and attitudinally, to persons with a physical disability.

One of the workshops will be hosted by a recent graduate of Fleming’s Therapeutic Recreation program. Alumna Caitlyn Costello now works for the Council for Persons with Disabilities as the Active Together Recreation Coordinator. She, along with three of her colleagues, will present ‘Why being Active Together matters: Increasing sport and recreation opportunities and participation rates for persons with disabilities.’

Caitlyn coordinates PCPD’s Active Together (AT) program, a project funded by the Ontario Sport and Recreation Community Fund (OSRCF) and the provincial government, with the goals of increasing sport and recreation opportunities as well as increasing participation rates for persons with disabilities of all ages in Peterborough City and County.

According to Statistics Canada, approximately 14% of individuals in Canada live with a disability, and studies indicate that only 3% of these individuals participate in regular physical activity. Find out how you can help to increase participation rates in your community. Cost for the conference is $100 for full-day registration, however financial subsidies are available.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit: www.pcpd.ca.

Adaptive Sports Expo
Connected to the conference, the Adaptive Sports Expo will take place on Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kenner Collegiate. The expo will showcase different adaptive sports including: wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, Special Olympics basketball, adaptive soccer, boccia, adaptive golf, and archery. All are welcome to attend.

About the Council for Persons with Disabilities
The Council for Persons with Disabilities exists to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities by promoting equality, opportunity, and inclusion in the Peterborough region so that everyone can contribute and thrive.

About Fleming College
Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Science, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Development, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has 5,900 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and more than 68,000 alumni.

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For more information:
Laura Copeland
Communications Officer
laura.copeland@flemingcollege.ca
705.749.5530 x 1370