Gear exchange helps get young P.E.I. hockey players on the ice
Gail Harding | CBC News | Posted: September 8, 2016 8:00 PM | Last Updated: September 8, 2016
Charlottetown Islanders will help fit children with the donated gear
The Charlottetown Minor Hockey Association says it hopes it can help more young hockey players get fitted into new-to-them gear at Saturday's annual gear exchange program.
For the fifth year, people can donate hockey gear they are no longer using and in turn, young hockey players who need it will be outfitted for the season.
The Charlottetown Islanders have joined the CMHA to help promote the initiative. Everyone who donates gear during the exchange will receive a free youth ticket voucher to the team's season opener on Sept. 23.
"We see it as an opportunity to bring a little bit more publicity to the exchange and get more people involved and to be able to help as many kids in the community as possible," team president Craig Foster told Mainstreet P.E.I.
Expensive and challenging
Foster said hockey can be an expensive sport with buying gear and paying registration, which can be a challenge for parents.
He said it doesn't take long for things to start adding up, especially as children grow older and equipment gets more expensive.
"There is ways around it to keep the costs as low as possible so that all the kids who want to play can."
Islanders players helping out
Foster said the players with the Charlottetown Islanders are excited to be taking part.
"The players will be helping out, getting kids sized up, making sure they're getting the right gear."
Foster added they encourage families to return the gear to the exchange once they are done with it.
CMHA says last year the gear exchange helped 250 children get new gear, a 50 per cent increase from the year before.
The gear exchange will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bell Aliant Centre on the UPEI campus during hockey registration.
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