Physical activity and proper nutrition are the cornerstones of a healthy lifestyle for everyone, regardless of age and can improve your health and help prevent, delay or alleviate diseases and conditions like cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, stroke, hypertension, osteoporosis and depression. 

Nova Scotia has some of the highest rates of chronic diseases in Canada but Doctors Nova Scotia is committed to helping Nova Scotians achieve good health.

Doctors Nova Scotia created the Strive Award three years ago to recognize the important role volunteers play in improving the health of Nova Scotians. The award is given annually to a Nova Scotia community group making innovative and strategic actions to support and promote health.

This year’s three finalists were selected from 37 nominated community groups that each offer unique services to their communities.

The winner of this year’s award will receive a $10,000 grant, double the amount in past years, to improve healthy living opportunities in their community. Doctors Nova Scotia will announce the winner of the Strive Award during its annual conference on June 8^th in Digby, Nova Scotia.

The three finalists are:

Chebucto Connections
Chebucto Connections is a non-profit organization, in Spryfield, Nova Scotia which works to improve resident engagement and collaboration within the community. Its goal is to help make Spryfield a healthy and vibrant place to live and work.

 This organization acts as a ‘bridge’ in the community, creating a place for organizations and residents to connect with each other in meaningful ways and to work together to improve the overall quality of life for people of all ages in the area.

Chebucto Connections hopes to use this grant to  provide long sought-after programming for youth in the area and to develop volunteer opportunities for parents to support the programs; thereby giving the family an opportunity to engage with one another and participate in skill development.

Click here to learn more about Chebucto Connections.                         

Happily Ever Active
Happily Ever Active, an organization in Halifax, Nova Scotia, brings young adults and seniors facing physical, mental, social, and financial challenges together. The organization brings free arts and fitness programming to seniors where they live – inpatient settings, long-term care facilities, and low-income seniors’ housing units.

Although many healthcare providers currently recommend regular exercise as the best way to prevent age-related disease and disability, many seniors have difficulty accessing fitness programming or participating in it due to their health challenges, transport challenges and financial limitations.

Happily Ever Active would use the Strive Award grant to fund more programming and recruit more volunteers that can be certified in first-aid and seniors’ fitness instruction. They also hope to purchase resistance bands, weights and performing arts supplies for new participant groups, and to offer new programs and workshops such as dance, juggling and drumming.

Click here to learn more about Happily Ever Active

Paradise Active Healthy Living Society (PAHLS)
PAHLS has been working to support increased physical activity and healthy lifestyles among the residents of the rural community of Paradise, located in Annapolis County since 2008. Through leadership, collaboration and promotion, the group provides fitness and dance classes, a walking club, and healthy cooking classes.

Residents of Paradise currently don’t have access to a community recreation centre, fitness facility or skating rink. PAHLS offers all of its programs at the community hall. Its programs are funded by community donations, fundraising events and various grants.

PAHLS plans to use this grant to help rebuild the playing field behind the community school and to clear out the area behind the community hall that overlooks the Annapolis River. This would give the community large open areas where games could be held in the summer and a skating rink could be built for the winter.

Click here to learn more about PAHLS

Past Strive Award Winners
2012 recipient

Friends of Ellenwood Park was the recipient of the 2012 Doctors Nova Scotia Strive Award.

Friends of Ellenwood Park is a committee that works to oversee off-season recreation use at Ellenwood Provincial Park in an effort to increase and promote healthy lifestyles in that community. The group consists of more than 20 volunteers who advocate for many forms of active transportation and outdoor physical activities at the park.

2011 recipient

Velo Cape Breton was the recipient of the inaugural Strive Award in 2011 when it was known as the Golden Apple Award.

This community group, which promotes the bicycle as a mode of transportation and recreation, has committed volunteers who help implement its programs in 10 chapters throughout Cape Breton.