Alex Reed
Executive Director
If I may be so bold, this past year has been one of the most significant in the history of Pacekids — not simply because we opened a new school, but because of what that school represents.
When the doors of our Sunridge facility finally opened, it wasn’t just the sound of staff and families arriving, or the laughter of children echoing through new hallways. For me, it was the sound of possibility. It was the realization of years of dreaming, planning, and believing that more children should have access to the services they so desperately need — a place where they are understood, supported, and able to truly thrive.
Sunridge means 216 additional spaces for children who might otherwise wait years for critical services during the most formative time of their lives. When added to the 152 spaces at our Sundance school, more than 350 children now walk through our doors every single day. Three hundred and fifty young lives, each with their own story, their own challenges, and their own incredible potential — and every day, because of you, they are met with care, expertise, and hope.
This school was not created by chance. It was built with intention and with heart. From sensory rooms that calm anxious bodies, to specialized classrooms that unlock communication, to an accessible playground where every child can experience the simple joy of play — every detail reflects our belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.
And within every classroom and every program are people — our staff. Teachers, aides, therapists, and leaders who show up each day with patience, creativity, and compassion. I wish you could see what I see: a teacher kneeling to meet a child’s eyes, a therapist celebrating a first word, a parent’s relief because someone truly understands their child. That is the real miracle of Pacekids.
This year also invited us to look inward — to ask how we could become stronger, more aligned, and better prepared for the future. Guided by our Strategic Plan, we strengthened our teams across Community & In-Home, Culture & People, Clinical, Fund Development, and Marketing. These weren’t simply organizational changes; they were acts of stewardship and accountability, ensuring that we grow with the same care and intention we offer every child and family.
Our reach also extended beyond our walls. Through partnerships with Trellis and the Sunnyside Hillhurst Community Association, Pacekids programming reached new organizations and new lives. These collaborations remind us that when we work together, our impact becomes far greater than any one organization could achieve alone.
And then there is the extraordinary generosity that makes all of this possible. This year, our Keeping Pace Dance Competition raised over $100,000, and our Putting for Pace Golf Tournament added another $60,000. Behind those numbers are people giving their time, their resources, and their hearts. Thank you to each of you for doing your part.
To our corporate champions, including the Calgary Flames Foundation and Remington Development Corporation, thank you for believing in what we do. Your support does more than fund programs or buildings. It changes outcomes. It changes futures. It changes lives.
When I reflect on this year, what stays with me most are not just the milestones, but the moments: a child taking a brave first step, a parent finding hope after years of uncertainty, a staff member staying late because “just one more thing” really matters.
Through every challenge and every triumph, every step backward and every step forward, our purpose has remained constant: ensuring that every child can thrive.
To our Board, our staff, our partners, our donors, and the families who entrust us with what matters most — their children — thank you. Thank you for your faith in our mission and in Pacekids.
Together, we are not just an organization. We are a community — one that turns compassion into action and possibility into reality, one child, one family, one story at a time. Thank you.
Rhonda Bean
Board Chair
For more than thirty years, Pacekids has grown alongside the families it serves. This past year, however, marked a truly defining chapter in its journey. From the Board’s perspective, it was a year where vision and responsibility walked hand in hand.
The opening of the Sunridge school represents far more than an expansion of space. It represents a promise kept — a promise to reach more children and to do so with excellence and care. With Sunridge and Sundance together, Pacekids now has the capacity to support more than 350 children every day. Behind that numbers are children finding their voices, families finding hope, and futures being shaped.
Sunridge is a beautiful reflection of our values. Purpose-designed sensory spaces, specialized classrooms, and an accessible playground all speak to our deep commitment to inclusion and to creating environments where every child can thrive and belong. Of course, none of this would be possible without the generosity of our community. We are deeply grateful to our donors, and our corporate partners, including the Calgary Flames Foundation and Remington Development Corporation, as well as the many supporters who made events like Keeping Pace and Putting for Pace such successes.
On behalf of the Board, I want to express heartfelt thanks to our Executive Director and leadership team for guiding Pacekids through such an ambitious and complex year. To our staff: your compassion, professionalism, and resilience are the true foundation of this organization. You are the ones who show up every day and change lives in both big and small ways.
The Board is confident in the path ahead. We believe deeply in this organization, in its leadership, and in its mission.
Thank you for being part of this journey, and for helping transform the lives of so many children and families
