RED DEER – The hockey community always shines brightest during the holiday season, and, despite many obstacles, 2020 is no different. Hockey Alberta is featuring the good deeds of teams from across the province this holiday season.
Has your team or association found a way to give back to the community this holiday season? If so, fill out this form, and your team’s good deed(s) will be featured below!
Calgary Northstars
The Calgary Northstars Hockey Association have launched their very own Northstars Cares program in support of HEROS Hockey, the Calgary Flames Sports Bank, and KidSport Calgary & Area. Together with the support of their players, coaches and families the Northstars teams will be working with these organizations to learn about their impact, understand who they are supporting and raise profile, awareness and dollars for the critical work being done by these great organizations.
Fort Saskatchewan U13 AA Rangers
At the start of the season, the U13 AA Rangers set a goal to support the communities that they live in, even with contending with the elements of COVID-19. The players from Fort Sask, Bruderheim, Lamont, Mundare, Josephburg, Hilliard, and Willingdon raised nearly $3000 in a bottle drive early in the hockey season. After receiving additional private donations, the team was able to help the following organizations this Holiday season: Vegreville Food Bank – 150 lbs of food Fort Saskatchewan Food Bank – 300 lbs of food Lamont Food Bank – 150 lbs of food Vegreville Christmas Bureau – Toy Drive and Coats for Families Fort Sask Families First Society – Santa Workshop Santa’s for Seniors Fort Sask – Senior Secret Santa program for 8 Fort Sask Seniors, 2 Lamont Seniors, and 2 Bruderheim Seniors Proud to do our part to give a helping hand at Christmas.
Fort Saskatchewan U13 Team 1 Rangers
The Fort Sask U13 Team 1 Rangers is part of snow angels shovelling for local seniors. They have also done a “jersey #” cash donation to their local food bank. The team also did 3-4 Christmas cards for a local housing corporation for seniors, plus a few extras totalling 79 cards. The team is working very hard to support the community and working together as a family despite the pandemic restrictions.
Fort Saskatchewan U13 Team 3 Rangers
With all the uncertainty of this hockey season, the Fort Saskatchewan U13 Team 3 Rangers focused on things they could do off the ice to help in the community. The team collected 500lbs worth of food donations on behalf of the local food bank. They also worked with a local group called Santa for Seniors, fulfilling Christmas wishes for five seniors. Lastly, they chose as a team to make a donation to a local family in need, with funds raised from their team raffle.
Hanna U9 and U18 Colts
The Hanna U9 Colts delivered Tim Hortons Gift Certificates to all of our local RCMP members and firefighters. They gave treat trays to the Arena staff Town Administration staff. They wanted to show some love to their local Seniors, so the team wrote Christmas cards to 22 residents of the Hanna Long Term Care. As well, the Hanna U18 Colts did a “Non Contact” Food Drive at the beginning of December where they collected non-perishable goodies to be delivered to the local food bank.
KC Centennials U16 AAA
The KC Centennials U16 AAA team had plans to hold a huge winter clothing drive for one of their December games in the AEHL to help support YESS (Youth Empowerment and Support Services) Edmonton. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions in Alberta, the game was temporarily put on pause. So quickly switching gears, the players and families decided to donate money to purchase the gift cards and items as needed and requested by YESS in Edmonton to youth in need. The gift cards were delivered on December 11. In addition, on our social media handles and at kccentennials.ca, they are encouraging others to do the same at https://yess.org/donate/. The donations given by the players and families of the KC Centennials U16 AAA will be presented to youth in need who use YESS in Edmonton at their annual YESS Christmas function.
KC Squires U15 AAA
The KC Squires joined St. Michael’s Health Group to partner their players with residents at their senior care facility to bring them some Christmas joy. Each team member wrote a letter to a resident, and sent along their player profile with a sweet treat. The team is looking forward to hearing back from their pen pals in the days before Christmas. They hope to keep the friendship going beyond the Christmas season.
Lethbridge Val Matteoti Golden Hawks
The Golden Hawks organized a social distanced drive-thru food drive to donate non-pershiables to the InterFaith food bank in Lethbridge.
Lloydminster U13 Blazers City 5
The Lloydminster U13 Blazers City 5 did a virtual food drive to fill up the shelves for the local food bank. They solicited donations and had a day for the team to pick up on doorsteps.
Maple Leaf Athletic Club
The Maple Leaf Athletic Club has nine hockey teams this year from U13 AA to U18 AAA. With the pandemic this year, they decided to give back to the community by each team having a Santa Toy Drive game to help Santa’s Anonymous. As an organization, they collected over 600 toys, $290.00 in cash and $1490.00 in gift cards.
Red Deer U11 RCM Transport Renegades
The Red Deer U11 RCM Transport Renegades started a kindness challenge at the beginning of December to spread some joy through the community. Players were asked to complete acts of kindness and then report back to the team during their weekly team zoom meeting. The team decided to make Christmas Cards for the residents of Westpark Lodge; an Assisted Living Centre located in Red Deer. There are 36 residents that live there and the team wanted to ensure each person received a card, so they placed a bin on their coach’s front step and collected the cards over the course of the past week, and delivered a total of 39 cards to the lodge.
Spruce Grove U7 Flying Unicorns
The Spruce Grove U7 Flying Unicorns collected items for the local food bank. This week, they dropped off 150 items and a $50 grocery store gift card to Parkland Food Bank.