First Year of Coach4Food a Success
Published on December 27, 2011 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Guelph Storm News Release
The Guelph Storm in conjunction with the Guelph Gryphons and the Guelph Food Bank are pleased to announce that over 11,500 pounds of food was collected in support of the Coach4Food program. Local hockey teams had until December 9th at 5:00pm to collect food donations in an effort to win a practice run by Storm and Gryphon coaches.
In its first year running in Guelph, there was an overwhelming response from the teams that took part. Five of the teams collected over 1,000 pounds of food each and will receive a practice run by Storm and Gryphon coaches later this year. Those five teams include, the Guelph Jr. Storm Minor PeeWee A, Guelph Jr. Storm Minor Atom A, Guelph Jr. Storm Novice AAA and Guelph Jr. Storm Minor PeeWee AA and the Guelph Jr. Storm PeeWee AA.
The Minor Peewee A team donated the most food collecting an astounding 4,341.13 pounds. Along with the practice, they will also receive tickets to an upcoming Storm game as well as on ice recognition with a puck drop to start the game.
The Storm, Gyphons and the Guelph Food Bank would like to thank everyone that took part and donated to the Guelph Food Bank. Congratulations to all teams for making the first year of the Coach4Food program in Guelph a success!
Guelph Jr. Storm Minor PeeWee A - 4,341.13
Guelph Jr. Storm Minor Atom A - 2, 296.03
Guelph Jr. Storm Novice AAA - 1,699.50
Guelph Jr. Storm Minor PeeWee AA - 1,332
Guelph Jr. Storm PeeWee AA - 1,183.68
Hespeler Minor PeeWee Black Hawks - 518
Guelph Jr. Storm Minor Atom Select - 149
Originating in North Bay, Coach4food is a program started by Tom Hedican, a professional goaltending consultant and University of Guelph alumnus, wherein his coaching services at local minor hockey practices is offered in exchange for food donations.
Over a three week period in December the program started in 2005 raising 1,000 pounds of food and has since exploded to 107, 969 pounds raised in 2010, just its sixth year running. The program has become the North Bay Food Bank's single largest fundraiser and has expanded to other markets thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation*.
Everyone from NHL Stanley Cup and Olympic Gold Medal winning coach Ken Hitchcock, to rock legend Bruce Springsteen, a vocal supporter of food banks, has endorsed Coach4Food.
Hedican is based in North Bay but works as a goaltending consultant for professional hockey teams in the top league in Switzerland. He will be co-ordinating the effort in the Niagara-St. Catharines region with the Niagara IceDogs and Brock Badgers and in Guelph with the Storm and Gryphons.
* The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario. A leading grantmaker in Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation strengthens the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives. An agency of the Government of Ontario, OTF builds healthy and vibrant communities. For more information, please visit the website at: www.otf.ca.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 27, 2011
- Plymouth Whalers Kid's Day Matinee on Wednesday - Plymouth Whalers
- First Year of Coach4Food a Success - Guelph Storm
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