Hockey equipment drive helps to support Indigenous youth with largest collection yet
Saturday's Indigenous Hockey Equipment Drive was one of its largest collections of the year, as the campaign seeks to continue making hockey gear more accessible for indigenous communities across the province.
What started as a collection of eight hockey bags and 20 sticks donated to Beausoleil First Nation in 2015 has become a nationwide endeavour.
"From there, every year it doubled," said Graham McWaters, the founder of the Indigenous Hockey Equipment Drive.
McWaters estimates that the campaign now gathers 1,000 hockey bags and 2,000 hockey sticks every year for 25 to 35 First Nation communities in Canada. It strives to allow indigenous youth to play hockey even if they cannot afford to do so.
"I'm going to guess that an excess of 5,000 kids have been helped from this program," McWaters added.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
The Richmond Hill hockey dad founded the Indigenous Hockey Equipment Drive with the help of fellow hockey parent Rosemarie McKenzie.
"They get to pick the equipment out that fits them, and they get to go to their community rinks or join their community teams," said McKenzie, describing how the recipients react upon receiving their gear. "It's like Christmas."
Thanks to the support of community partners and despite an unwanted taste of wintery weather, Saturday's equipment drive in Barrie collected more than 50 donated hockey bags and 100 donated hockey sticks.
Donated sticks being stored at Saturday’s Indigenous Hockey Equipment Drive in Barrie on April 20, 2024 (Mike Lang/CTV News).
Donors drove by throughout the day to drop off their equipment, which included helmets, gloves, shin pads and shoulder pads. McWaters and other volunteers then organized the equipment accordingly into large storage bins, where it will remain until reaching its recipients.
"There's nothing better than putting somebody out on a pair of skates with a stick," McWaters concluded.
Some of the seven storage bins worth of hockey equipment will be delivered to Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec next week. The rest will be delivered to Indigenous communities across the province in the fall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Iran President Ebrahim Raisi found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says
Iranian president, the country’s foreign minister and others have been found dead at the site of a helicopter crash Monday after a search through a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest.
Court eases internet restrictions for Sask. man who matched with a 15-year-old girl on Tinder
A Saskatchewan man who had a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl he met on Tinder successfully appealed to shorten release conditions barring him from online dating.
Stittsville residents seeking answers as bylaw cracks down on street basketball nets
Stittsville residents on Kearnsley Way are seeking answers after an unusual bylaw crackdown on Friday. Every home with a basketball net received a ticket instructing homeowners to remove their nets from the road.
'A horrible way to start the summer': 3 killed in serious boat crash on lake north of Kingston, Ont.
Three people were killed and five others were injured Saturday night following a boat crash on the Buck Bay area of Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont., the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.
What do we know so far about the mysterious crash of the helicopter carrying Iran's president?
The apparent crash of a helicopter carrying Iran's president and foreign minister on Sunday sent shock waves around the region.
Ex-partner charged with first-degree murder after 55-year-old woman killed in Montreal
Less than 24 hours after Montreal's 12th homicide investigation began, Montreal police confirmed that a 55-year-old woman's death in St. Michel is the island's 13th homicide. The woman's ex-spouse has been charged with first-degree murder.
Walmart, Costco refusing to sign grocery code of conduct 'untenable': industry minister
Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says it's 'untenable' for 'smaller players' like Walmart and Costco to delay signing on to the government- and industry-led grocery code of conduct, now that industry giant Loblaw has agreed to do so.
VIDEO Born without front legs, this dog has been inspiring the world for 3 years: Dresden farm owner
A sanctuary dedicated to animals with disabilities is celebrating the third birthday of one of its most popular residents.
Police say toxic drugs are circulating through northeastern Ontario
Canada’s largest First Nations police service, the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service issued a community safety alert as extremely toxic drugs are likely circulating in many of the communities it serves.