Volunteers do not need to be fluent in French

The Canadian Francophone Games are coming to Oak Bay, Victoria, Esquimalt, and Saanich in 2020. Marie-Pierre Lavoie, chair of the Victoria 2020 Canadian Francophone Games Organizing Committee (left); Justin Johnson, chair of the French-Canadian Youth Federation; former Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen; and Yann Lacoste, chair of the British Columbia Francophone Youth Council, were on hand for an announcement last year. (Black Press Media file photo)

The Canadian Francophone Games — the largest gathering of Canadian French-speaking young people, focusing on arts, leadership and sport competition — are coming to Victoria, for the first time next year.

A call has been put out for volunteers to help make the Games, set for July 14 to 18, 2020, a great success.

On Oct. 24 the general public is invited to a Soiree Pizza and Info Night at École Victor-Brodeur from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., to meet the organizing committee of the CF Games, along with the heads of each provincial/territorial delegation, to learn more about volunteer involvement.

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For the past nine months organizers have been working to help bring together more than 1,200 youth from across Canada, and with nine more months to go there’s still work to be done.

The local organizing committee is looking for more than 700 volunteers to help stage the Games. Roles include transportation services, food services, spectator and community services, along with participant services. Everyone is invited to be involved as a volunteer, no matter their fluency in French.

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Competitors are between the ages of 14 to 18 and will take part in more than 70 competitions in 13 disciplines in arts, leadership and sports with more than 400 medals to be handed out.

The Games are a major cultural event that will showcase the Greater Victoria area. It’s estimated tourism and economic revenues from hosting the event will hit $3.8 million from 2018 to 2020. Close to 15,000 spectators and tourists are expected to attend.

For more information on the games visit jeuxfc.ca/english.