March 23, 2005 – Beckie Scott will introduce more than 50 Alberta youth, ages 9 to 12, from the Calgary Boys and Girls Club to cross-country skiing at Canada Olympic Park on Saturday, March 26, 2005. Scott will also speak to the girls about the importance of living healthy and active lives through sport, as part of a special presentation of CODA’s Sport For Life initiative, a program developed in partnership with AADAC.

The Olympic gold medallist, who joined the fight to reduce tobacco use among Alberta’s youth earlier this year, will teach the girls the fundamentals of cross-country skiing, have lunch at the Park and spend an afternoon doing a variety of activities and events with the students.

Sport For Life’s mission is to develop innovative ways to utilize sport at the recreational, developmental and high-performance levels to positively influence youth, and impact the community on issues of health and wellness.

Following the Calgary appearance, Scott will make the trip north to her hometown of Vermilion, Alta., March 30, 2005, to make a similar presentation to nearly 500 students in Grades 4 to 6. It will be the first public appearance for Scott in her hometown since receiving the Olympic gold medal.