community

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Toronto Argonauts Community Relations
Community engagement and student mentorship
are core goals of the Toronto Argonauts
organization. With the generous support of
partners like Tim Hortons, the Argonauts are able
to impact tens of thousands of students each year.
The Argonauts are proud to be community
leaders in the GTA and continue to play an
active role through player, cheerleader and
mascot appearances, as well as in-kind support
to hundreds of charitable organizations. The
Community Relations department has established
key programs fulfilling its mandate of improving
health and wellness, mentorship, bullying and
gender-based violence prevention in schools
across the GTA.
Here is some information on the Toronto
Argonauts’ key community initiatives:
Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program
The Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Program,
presented by Tim Hortons, is targeted towards
students from grades 2 to 12 and involves the
participation of Argos players, cheerleaders and staff
members who share their powerful experiences
about bullying. It is a multi-faceted, curriculumbased program committed to conveying the key
messages necessary to assist youth and empower
them to take action towards the prevention of
bullying. Level the Playing Field
Level the Playing Field, presented by Tim Hortons,
aims to grow the sport of football in high schools
through engagement and mentorship. In addition
to establishment grants, which launch new football
teams, LTPF supports numerous teams on a yearly
basis by providing revitalization grants to help with
equipment needs. Most importantly, it continues to
support the safety of football players by providing
league-wide helmet certification and subsidies
for athletic therapists at all football games. Not
only do the teams that receive grants benefit
from mentorship experiences, the entire school
The messaging is designed to encourage students
to stand up, play an active role in preventing
conflicts, and make positive choices for themselves
and their peers. One component includes a femalespecific workshop where an Argos cheerleader and
female staff member speak directly to the effects of
bullying on young girls. The program also includes
special parent-teacher information sessions so
parents can learn more about bullying tactics and
support their children in overall prevention.
September 2014 will mark the 14th Anniversary
of the award winning Huddle Up program, and it
continues to grow in popularity. 30 schools across
the GTA were visited in the 2013/2014 school year
alone, reaching approximately 35,000 students.
In fact, more than 500,000 students have been
reached since the program’s inception.
Huddle Up & Make the Call:
A Gender-based Violence Prevention Project
The newest addition to the Argonauts’ community
programs, Huddle Up & Make The Call, in
partnership with the White Ribbon Campaign,
Status of Women Canada and Tim Hortons, utilizes
the power of student-led initiatives and athlete
testimonials to address gender-based violence
Argo-Cise
The Toronto Argonauts’ commitment to the wellbeing of youth expands beyond their experiences
in the classroom, and is engaging youth in the
importance of physical activity. Argo-Cise is an
interactive health and wellness program catering
to elementary schools, camps and after school
programs. Toronto Argonauts players, cheerleaders
and Jason the Mascot interact with students to
make fitness “fun”, while teaching them valuable
community is engaged in the program through
players, cheerleaders and program staff acting
as ambassadors for school spirit. Currently, this
program serves the Toronto District School Board
and the Toronto
Catholic
District
School Board.
health and wellness fundamentals. Over the past
five years, the program has helped approximately
15,000 students achieve their daily physical activity
requirements.
in secondary schools in the Greater Toronto
Area. By promoting and supporting equitable,
healthy relationships and safe environments for all
students, Huddle Up & Make the Call will empower
and inspire students to engage their peers and
communities in ending all forms of violence against
women and girls.
FRUTIGER LT STD 95 ULTRA BLACK
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COMMUNITY
Rotary Club of Toronto and
Toronto Argonauts Community Champion Scholarship
In 2011, two historic organizations dedicated to
community engagement and making a difference
developed a new branch of their ongoing existing
relationship, The Rotary Club of Toronto and
Toronto Argonauts Community Champion
Scholarship. The scholarship was created to
provide funding for the tuition of one student from
the Toronto District School Board or Toronto
Catholic District School Board to complete their
post-secondary career. Applicants were required to
demonstrate financial need but, more importantly,
COMMUNITY
2014 Argos Cheerleaders
a steadfast commitment to the betterment of their
community through the values of volunteerism
and giving back. In addition to their role in the
community, the students were to show involvement
in school activities as well as a commitment to their
academic achievement. Each year, the recipient is
chosen by a selection committee consisting of both
Rotarians and Toronto Argonauts staff, and will be
celebrated at a community luncheon and featured
at a special game presentation in the 2014 season.
For more than 30 years, the Argos Cheerleaders
have cheered on the Double Blue at every home
game. They have led the cheers of the tens of
thousands of Argos fans that fill Rogers Centre,
as the boys in blue fight to represent the East
in the 102nd Grey Cup in Vancouver. They show
their support through eye-catching choreography,
precise and exhilarating dance routines and winning
personalities. In addition to displaying their support
on the field at the game, the Argos Cheerleaders
and promotional team can be found in the stands
as they mingle with Toronto’s most electric and
dedicated fans and give away prizes.
In 2014, there are 26 beautiful and enthusiastic
women that comprise the members of the on-field
team and 7 members of the promotional team. As
part of the 141st season of Argonauts football, they
will forever be part of the team’s history as the
Double Blue look to return to the championship
game.The 2014 Argonauts Cheerleaders, presented
by the Toronto Sun, are diverse and each member
comes from different dance and cheerleading
backgrounds. From students to teachers, business
executives, journalists and event planners, these
women possess confidence and charisma to
match their great looks. Common attributes that
all of these women share are their commitment
to excellence, responsibility and dedication, traits
that are required of all Argos Cheerleaders. The
dedication and expertise of these ladies can be
seen through the approximately 15 different dance
routines that they perform each year, with styles
ranging from hip-hop to jazz. Off the field, the
cheerleaders take part in over 400 community
appearances annually, helping several charitable
causes, including the Huddle Up Bullying Prevention
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Program, Huddle Up and Make the Call, Level The
Playing Field and Argo-Cise. They also lead the
Jr. Cheer program, which allows young girls to
enhance their dance skills and build confidence by
performing at an Argos home game.
Head Coach Jorie Brown will lead this year’s team
for her fifth consecutive season. A graduate of
Toronto’s York University, Jorie was an Argos
Cheerleader from 2002-05 before joining the
Raptors Dance Pak for several seasons. Trained in all
facets of dance, Jorie is recognized for her exciting
and motivational teaching style. As a teacher and
choreographer, she has produced many awardwinning competitive routines and inspires her
students and cheerleaders to be the best they can
be. Jorie has also performed and worked alongside
musical acts such as Hedley, Kardinal Offishal,
Shania Twain, Brian Adams, Tragically Hip, Black
Eyed Peas, Glass Tiger, Down With Webster, The
Arkells and others. Choreography credits include
performances for Karl Wolf, Maestro Fresh Wes,
Jarvis Church, Chris Willis, Tim Hicks and more!
For many years Jorie was also a VJ on BPM:TV,
Canada’s first and only dance channel, where she
hosted her own music request show for 5 seasons.
Most recently, she wrapped up choreography for
the movie Dr. Cabbie, staring Kunal Nayaar (Big
Bang Theory), Vinay Virmani (Breakaway) and
Adrianne Palicki (GI Joe:Retaliation) set for release
in 2014.
Fans can get the latest information about the
2014 Argos Cheerleaders at argonauts.ca, on
Facebook at facebook.com/ArgosCheerleaders,
following the team on Twitter @ArgosCheer or
checking them out on Instagram @ArgosCheer.
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KEEP YOUR DRIVE ALIVE
NAPA, PROUD PARTNER OF THE CFL