The B.C. government announced Thursday that 2018 is the year of the BC Games, marking the sporting event鈥檚 40th anniversary.

鈥淭he Games鈥� athletes, coaches and volunteers are role models, not only for excellence, but for the value of contributing to communities and our province,鈥� said Tourism Minister Lisa Beare in a news release.

The first BC Games, a summer Games, took place in Penticton in 1978, and over the past four decades, has been held in 38 communities, with more than 350,000 participants and volunteers.

This year鈥檚 Winter Games are set for Feb. 22 to 25 in Kamloops. (Black Press is a sponsor of the event.) It鈥檚 the city鈥檚 third time hosting, since the inaugural Winter Games there in 1979.

Several BC Games competitors have gone on to represent Canada in the Olympics and on other national and international stages.

Fourteen alumni, such as Kamloops speed skater Josie Morrison, Kelowna skier Kelsey Serwa, and Summerland bobsledder Justin Kripps, will represent Team Canada in the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games this month.

鈥淲hat athletes learn are lifelong skills,鈥� said Niki Remesz, president of the 2018 Kamloops event. 鈥淓ven if they do not continue to compete for the sport in the Winter Games, they (will) continue to develop regardless.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to see a full circle of how the community and sport capacity has advanced,鈥� Remesz added. 鈥淏eing the tournament capital of Canada, (Kamloops) continues to add to its infrastructure and community engagement.鈥�

The BC Winter Games is projected to bring in roughly $1.6 million to benefit the Kamloops economy.