Canadian Olympic and Paralympic stars will visit schools in Banff, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa and Red Deer from June 4 to 6 and will deliver sports equipment kits valued at CAD$150 ($138/£82/€101) to each containing basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls and skipping ropes.

The kits are being donated by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadain Paralympic Committee (CPC) partner Canadian Tire as part of its Active at School campaign which aims to encourage schoolchildren to take part in at least one hour of physical activity each day.

The tour is due to start in the Ottawa area on June 4 and will see Olympians and Paralympians visit schools, hospitals and the House of Commons in the Canadian capital before moving on to  Banff, Red Deer, Edmonton and Calgary the following day. 

The following day will see Sochi 2014 Parade of Champions take place in the City of Calgary prior to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremony at the Saddledome indoor arena.

Short track speed skater Charles Hamelin is one of the athletes who will be taking part on the tour and he is looking forward to getting out and meeting possible Olympic stars of the future.

"One of the best parts about being an Olympian is getting to connect with the youth in our country," said Hamelin, winner of a third Olympic gold medal with victory in the 1500 metres at Sochi 2014.

"The Heroes Tour really gives us a chance to help promote active living and it gives us an opportunity to spend time with youth who are some of our biggest supporters."

Canada finished third on the Winter Olympic medal table in Sochi with a total of 25 medals, including 10 gold, while the Paralympians also came third on the overall standings with 16 medals, seven of them gold.

Paralympian Caroline Bisson hopes the Celebration of Excellence Heroes Tour will inspire youngsters in Canada to get involved in sport regardless of ability ©Getty Images



Para-Nordic skier Caroline Bisson will also be on the tour after competing in Sochi.

"Paralympic athletes have a powerful message to share," said the 39-year-old.

"That message is that everyone, as human beings have this incredible power to adapt, to bounce back when life circumstances brought to us are difficult.

"That is a power that each and every one of us has.

"The schools visit will be a great opportunity for us to share our story with young Canadians and instill the dream of sport in all of them."

The Heroes Tour school visits form part of a larger education programme implemented by both the COC and CPC, where free classroom resources are offered to educators across Canada in order to instill Olympic and Paralympic values at a grassroots level.

The COC Olympic Schools Programme aims to recreate the excitement of the Olympic Movement in the classroom by encouraging students to work together to find creative solutions to suggested challenges and current issues.

The CPC Paralympic Schools Programme is a free online teachers' resource to help teachers engage students in the Paralympic spirit.

It provides teachers with the resources to educate students on Para-sport and establish positive perceptions of people with a physical disability.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
May 2014: Calgary route for Canadian Sochi 2014 Parade of Champions revealed
February 2014: Canada launches #WHATSTHERE campaign ahead of Sochi 2014 Paralympics
December 2013: Canadian Olympic Committee launches "We are Winter" TV campaign
December 2013: "We want to help our athletes achieve their podium dreams" insists Canadian Sports Minister
October 2013: Canadian athletes to receive support through Samsung #BringItHome campaign