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Having grown up in small-town Manitoba, Ryan Powers knew everyone. So, at 17 years old, he remembers how daunting it felt to move out of the comforts of his hometown to Kelowna, where he really didn’t know anyone, to attend ������Ƶ (������Ƶ).

Powers recalls that what made the transition easier was knowing he would be joining the ������Ƶ Coyotes baseball team.

“At my first practice I met 50 of my best friends,” recalls Powers, who has been playing on the Coyotes baseball team for three years while pursuing a bachelor of business administration at ������Ƶ’s Kelowna campus.

“Being on the ball team has definitely helped me make connections and meet people that will be my friends for life. Playing any sport can help break down barriers and makes it easier to build relationships.”

It’s stories like Powers’ that makes James Coble, ������Ƶ’s dean of students, excited for the building of the first Recreation and Wellness Centre on the college’s Kelowna campus. Coble and his team are committed to strengthening student and employee well-being.

“Having a recreation and wellness centre on campus is going to be huge for the college community,” Coble says. “We know that when students participate in recreation they have a stronger sense of belonging, which improves mental health and contributes to academic success.”

Coble says the new centre, which is funded by the generosity of the community, will create a much-needed space for students to meet outside of the classroom. The centre will be a gathering place where students can connect to each other and the campus itself, lowering anxiety and stress.

The building of a gymnasium, indoor running track and a state-of-the-art fitness centre will also fill a very real need for more recreational space for students, he adds.

A growing body of research supports the benefits of exercise on a range of mental health issues including anxiety and depression.

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, three out of every four mental health problems have been first diagnosed between the ages of 16 and 24, a time when many people are also involved in post-secondary education.

“Community means we are stronger together,” Coble says. “We are grateful to those who have supported this building and share in our passion and belief that when people come together amazing things can happen.”

������Ƶ Foundation has raised more than $12.5 million, with only $1.5 million left to reach the capital goal to build the Recreation and Wellness Centre. The ������Ƶ Foundation is inviting the community to support student and community wellness by making a donation. To learn more about the centre, click here.