THUNDER BAY — Hockey sticks, skates, helmets, gloves, pads and more – youth in Cat Lake First Nation will take to the rink in style with a big donation of new equipment.
“Many of the kids took home full sets of complete hockey gear. Some of them just took some pieces, but it was a really fun day had by all,” said Stephanie Paxton, executive director of Mikinakoos Children’s Fund.
Paxton said it was a wonderful experience to see all the happy expressions on the kids' faces.
Mikinakoos Children’s Fund received 1,300 pounds of gear from Canadian airline WestJet.
WestJest's donation is aimed at making sports accessible for Indigenous youth by continuing to donate hockey gear that was collected from local hockey communities in the Oakville and Milton areas.
“We had a variety of different pieces of equipment. Hockey skates were a big one, helmets, hockey pants and pads, elbow pads, shin guards, wrist guards, gloves, hockey sticks and some even had a few full kits of hockey pads, which was really cool,” said Paxton.
This is the fourth consecutive year Mikinakoos Children’s Fund has received new hockey gear from WestJet and its partners.
The equipment has been delivered to Cat Lake First Nation and youth are able to begin playing hockey.
“It's a really special experience to be able to bring this equipment to these kids in the remote northern communities.
“Most of these kids have never had any hockey gear in their lives before, let alone brand-new equipment. We felt very privileged to be invited to the community to help distribute this equipment and to be able to spend some one-on-one time with the children in this community,” she said.
“It came at a very opportune time, as the community has been working to organize a hockey camp for the kids.”
It is vital for youth in First Nation communities to have opportunities, like playing hockey, said Paxton.
“For me personally, I want to be able to provide opportunities to these kids because when I think about how some of them don't have this opportunity, it just breaks my heart and it's imperative to their development into grown adults that they have access to these activities and to equipment like this,” Paxton said.
It’s a really valuable experience for them to be able to have access to this for the first time, she said.
WestJet, along with their supporters Hope Arero and Canadian Tire in Oakville were able to pull this donation of supplies together. Without logistical partners, like North Star Air who were able to help deliver this equipment to Cat Lake First Nation, this would not be possible, Paxton said.
