Dodgeball Canada Community Fund
Dodgeball Canada recognizes that our members, athletes, provincial organizations, leagues, volunteers, and the broader community have been an integral part in helping build our success over the years. To show our gratitude, we want to support those who have helped us build the sport of dodgeball by donating a $500 fund to a Canadian league or program that demonstrates an environment that reinforces inclusivity, through supporting marginalized community members. The funds were raised through our first merchandise campaign "Dodgeball is Everybody" with Savage Apparel Co., Dodgeball Canada's official apparel partner for the 2020/2021 season.
We invited the community to share stories about the leagues they have grown to love and how they have made a difference to the sport of dodgeball. Dodgeball Canada is pleased to announce that the submission for Downtown Dodgeball was selected as the recipient. Downtown Dodgeball has developed one of the most inclusive leagues in the country. With its origins to create a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community to enjoy dodgeball, they have grown to be much more than that. They offer multiple programs for a range of skillsets as well as the Prism Program they launched in 2019 which is a drop-in night exclusively for womxn. They also do such an incredible job ensuring their dodgeball nights are fun, inclusive, safe, and affordable. Congratulations Thuan and Andrew and thank you!
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Message from Downtown Dodgeball
Folks! We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our ever-growing community for your ongoing support. Without each and every single one of you, we wouldn’t be the amazing force that is Downtown Dodgeball. We have recently been selected based on your nominations for Dodgeball Canada’s Community Fund campaign. We are forever thankful!!! This will only help further guide us and grow our community once the gyms open up again. Our passion for sport is something we always aim to share with everyone - but more importantly, ensuring that we provide a space for anyone to feel comfortable and find their own way to excellence! We all put the UNITY in our community and staying true to this, we have decided to give back to two organizations that dedicate themselves to important social programs within our community.
If you’d like to learn more about these organizations, please see the links below:
Rainbow Railroad
$250 - Rainbow Railroad is a Canadian charitable organization that helps lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals escape violence and persecution in their home countries.
Black Women in Motion
$250 –The Black Women in Motion team provides organizations support in developing programs, tools, resources and environments that are de-colonial, culturally relevant, and anti-oppressive.
Thank you again Dodgeball Canada and we hope to see you all on the courts soon!
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Dodgeball Canada would also like to give an honourable mention to Ligue de Dodgeball de Québec (LDQ) and to thank Vincent Bédard for the submission. Since its creation in 2011, LDQ has always rooted for respect and inclusion by implementing multiple programs to welcome players from minorities and marginalized people. They have also partnered with various charitable causes by organizing benefit tournaments for charities that help marginalized youth and offer regular activities free of charge to underprivileged people. LDQ also does phenomenal work with the dodgeball community. Thank you!
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Here is what others have to say about Downtown Dodgeball and Ligue de Dodgeball de Québec:
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WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Downtown Dodgeball
Downtown Dodgeball is a champion of inclusivity and gives a sense of community in a city that can be large and lonely.
Downtown Dodgeball
With a focus on the LGBT community, DT has something for every player, including: nights for beginners, provincial ranking teams, female presenting and non-binary only night, queer tournaments, LGBT charity nights, and leagues for every play level.
Downtown Dodgeball
From the outset Thuan and Andrew take the time to get to know all their participants, greet them by name, and follow and encourage their progress.
Downtown Dodgeball
Downtown Dodgeball launched the Prism Program in 2019 which was a drop-in night exclusively for womxn. They were intentional in the way they developed this program to create a unique and safe space for womxn to experience and thrive in the sport of dodgeball.
Downtown Dodgeball
They do such an incredible job at ensuring their dodgeball nights (drop in, rec/int, and comp) are fun, inclusive, safe and affordable. Thuan and Andrew put their heart and soul in the league and care about every single person that participates
Ligue de Dodgeball de Quebec
Since its creation in 2011, Ligue de Dodgeball de Quebec (LDQ) has always rooted for respect and inclusion. Throughout its history, several programs have been implemented to welcome players from minorities and marginalized people.
Ligue de Dodgeball de Quebec
The LDQ is the largest French-speaking league in Canada and has always been committed to reaching out to members of Quebec City's English-speaking community. They understand the realities of linguistic minorities and hold bilingual drop-in games where new unilingual English players are taken aside to learn the rules and be coached in English.
Ligue de Dodgeball de Quebec
They are an ally league that is LGBTQIA2+-friendly, with many members of this community among our players. All our members also actively participate in the activities of our neighbouring league, the Montreal Ratons Chasseurs (LGBTA league).
Ligue de Dodgeball de Quebec
In the past they have partnered with various charitable causes by organizing benefit tournaments for charities that help marginalized youth and they also offer regular activities "free of charge”to underprivileged people which offers free sports activities to low-income people.