OMG!

“The food bank let me know that XXXX lbs was collected by our team!!”

(Ed. Note: The surprise number is at the end of the story! This story is told by another 4Brant Citizen Journalist, Kelly Fullerton, and she is the team Manager for the Brantford Ice Cats Bantam Rep B Girls Hockey team.)

Welcome Kelly, and can you fill us in on the background, please?

So our players are Bantam this season … grade 8 and grade 9 girls. They’re very into social media, friends, etc. . I wondered if they were interested in doing something to participate in a give-back program to our local community and help those in need this upcoming holiday season.

Our players participated in a Food Bank Donations Collection Challenge. We challenged a competitor team the Woodstock Wildcats Bantam team to see who in 2 weeks could raise the most food bank donations for their local food banks , the team with the least amount collected coaching staff had to dress up like Santa and his elves on our December 7th game vs each other.

My team has gone above and beyond with their efforts asking other local girls teams in our organization to help, canvassing at both Metro and King George Rd Zehrs grocery store locations for a 2 hr event each time.

I took 4 players to Metro grocery store on St Paul’s Ave recently and we had our ice cats tent and decorated a couple shopping carts with signage. In the 2 hours we were there we collected 85 of their premade $5.99+ food bank bags plus 3 full shopping carts of donations, filling my entire vehicle.

We also raised $220 in cash which we ordered more cases of donations items from Metro 

(Special thanks to manager Paul for all his help). 

Then we did the same at the King George Rd Zehrs, with 10 players attending . (Special thanks to store manager Diane) They donated $100 worth of items to our collection drive. The players filled 4 shopping carts and raised $170 in cash which we ordered more cases of food again. 

They are helping hundreds of families in need this holiday season.

“Local hockey teams are helping our communities. So proud of them. These girls are AMAZING, and should be very proud of this huge accomplishment.”

Also, the Wilmot team in our division donated 5 boxes full to our collection, (Special thanks to coach Gavin and his awesome coaching staff and team).

Hockey is an amazing opportunity for these players to be athletic, learn structure, work as a team, learn dedication and overall be the best that they can be. 

“This season we’ve participated in several give-back initiatives. In September we sponsored a 5 year old girl in Uganda born with 2 clubbed feet . The 18th girl project through the ‘one4another’ international group … my players raised $1200 in 2 weeks and paid for her corrective surgery and ended up raising $300 more which fed her family for 4 months, bought bedding and clothes for her family and bought them live goats and chickens for a family income. We’ve had several emails, pictures and communication with our 18th player Peruth”. 

Next in lieu of a secret Santa gift we’re adopting 2 Nova Vita families to make their Christmas the best it can be by donating gifts for 2 families of 5. My players are an amazing group of young ladies with hearts of gold. So very proud of them all. 

Oh, and that pesky number of pounds of food donated to Brantford Food Drive from Kelly’s team of Brantford Ambassadors? 1526 pounds!

 To you Kelly, your staff and the amazing players, CONGRATULATIONS! Your spirit is infectious and your commitment to others admirable beyond words. Merry Christmas and thank you for always thinking of others in need.

 

“These experiences are the things that these players will remember for their entire lives vs just what’s on the scoreboard at the end of a game.” Kelly Fullerton