LAC LA BICHE - Youth in the Lac La Biche area who are looking for something fun to do on the evening of April 4 may want to test their skills at the ‘Checkers Showdown’ which is taking place at the Bold Centre from 4-7 p.m.
According to Christine Martin, a community outreach worker with Lac La Biche County FCSS, teen participants will take part in the checkers tournament, enjoy a meal, and socialize.
“We chose the game checkers because it’s a game that everyone knows and a game that can be completed in a relatively short amount of time,” Martin said.
As to how the competition works, Martin explained that this particular game of checkers will be a double-elimination knock out tournament that will see young people competing against their peers throughout the night. Players, she said, will have to lose twice to get knocked out of the running.
“There may be a consolation side as well, depending on how many teens there are,” she said. Once teens are knocked out, there will still be other games and activities for them to do.
At the end of the competition, the winner of the ‘Checkers Showdown’ will receive a trophy and be bestowed with the title of 2025 ‘Teen Chillzone Champion.’
The objective of the Teen Chillzone program is to get youth aged 13-18 together, outside of a school setting, to socialize with other teens, said Martin. The group does a variety of activities throughout the year.
Some of these activities are large ones, such as the ski trip to Tawatinaw Valley in mid-February, while others, such as the upcoming checkers tournament, are smaller in scope.
However, the goal of all these events, regardless of size, is to get kids away from technology and give them the opportunity to socialize with others.
“A great part of the program is the fact that the teens come from all areas and attend all the different schools in the County, or are home-schooled, so it’s a great opportunity for teens to meet new friends who they don’t normally see,” Martin said.
For more information about the Checkers Showdown, call or text 780-520-7183.
