Tuesday, December 2 is GivingTuesday, the global day of generosity that inspires people everywhere to give back. This year, CanadaHelps — co-founder of GivingTuesday in Canada — is encouraging all Canadians, new and returning donors alike, to celebrate the joy of generosity.

New research from CanadaHelps finds that one in five Canadians hasn’t donated to charity in the past five years. And CanadaHelps President and CEO Duke Chang has a message for them: there’s no better time to start than on GivingTuesday.

“Canada is an incredibly generous country,” says Chang, “But right now, 22% of Canadians account for half of all giving. This year, we’re talking directly to the millions of Canadians who haven’t donated in a while — or maybe have never donated at all — and reminding them that their first gift can make a real difference. Whether it’s $5 or $50, every donation starts something meaningful.”

CanadaHelps’ new research confirms that:

• The generosity gap is widening by income. Those earning more than $150,000 a year account for half (49%) of all donations — a divide that continues to grow as affordability challenges persist.
• Younger Canadians are more likely to be non-givers. Almost one-third of 18-35 year old Canadians (27%) haven’t given to charity in the past five years — six percentage points higher than the national average. People over the age of 65 contributed half of all donation dollars (50%) in Canada in 2023.
• Making an impact: Over the past 12 months, more than one in four Canadians haven’t donated to charity (31%) — showing there’s still a huge opportunity to inspire generosity.

For Canadians looking to find the joy of generosity, Chang has three tips:

Think Small. It’s no surprise that affordability is the top reason Canadians hold back from donating (67%). But many Canadian charities are smaller than you may think. In fact, 77% of charities in Canada make less than $500,000 in annual revenue, 90% employ 10 or fewer full-time staff and 59% employ no full-time staff at all. Even the smallest donation can have a big impact.

“Understandably, there are many Canadians for whom donating to charity simply isn’t in the budget,” continues Chang. “But I can’t overstate what even a small donation means to so many charities in this country. If one million Canadians — just 2.4% of Canada’s population — each made a $5 donation on GivingTuesday, think of the impact that could have.”

Feed Your Passion. Almost half of all Canadians (46%) say they’re most inspired to support a cause when they feel a personal connection to it. The good news? There are more than 86,000 registered charities in Canada — making it easy to find something close to your heart.

Adore rabbits? Check out B.C.’s Warren Peace Bunny Sanctuary. Love skiing? Consider supporting Adult Disabled Downhill Skiing. Simply enter any keyword on CanadaHelps.org and you’ll see a list of relevant, CRA-approved charities.

Remember: Giving is Good for You
Exercising generosity isn’t just good for charities, or communities — it’s good for you. Research proves that acts of generosity can stimulate your brain’s mesolimbic pathway, or reward centre, while releasing endorphins — leading to a “helper’s high” that boosts self-esteem, elevates happiness and combats feelings of depression. Supporting others can lower your blood pressure and protect your heart.

“Our goal at CanadaHelps is simple: to make Canada the most generous country in the world.” adds Chang. “Every act of generosity — whether it be donating money, time or services — strengthens our community. GivingTuesday is about collective action, and this December 2, we have the chance to spark a ripple effect of generosity that reaches every corner of the country.”

Visit CanadaHelps.org this GivingTuesday to make a donation of any amount to any registered charity in Canada.

The post New Research: One In Five Canadians Hasn’t Donated To Charity In The Past Five Years appeared first on Muskoka411.

The nomination window is open until Aug. 1. Twice a year, the group gives local charities a chance to win fundraising. Muskoka 100 People Who Care was built on the idea of 100+ people coming together to impact a charity through donations and promoting local awareness. Their next meeting is happening on Aug. 25 at the Windermere Golf and Country Club. The event will include a social hour and dinner from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and the meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. Organizers ask attendees to support the venue before the meeting and bring $100 for their donation.

Please follow this link to nominate and register for the event, or email muskoka100pwc@gmail.com.

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The meeting was the third fundraising gathering for the group, which formed early last year. They meet twice annually to raise money for local charities, along with supporting the Muskoka Shoebox Project in between events. About 70 people came together at the Patterson Kaye Resort in Bracebridge on the 18th. Representatives from Muskoka Victim Services, YWCA Muskoka and MiND-AID Muskoka presented about their charities. Attendees voted for MiND-AID, a cost-free service that helps young people find mental health support, as the recipient for this round of funding.

“It definitely helps children and young adults, which is a big need right now,” said Marion Mochrie, one of four organizers for Muskoka 100 People Who Care. “They also have a van that goes around to different locations, and this hopefully will help this van to connect with more people.”

Mochrie and fellow organizers Aly Brown and Gillian Sifft presented the money to MiND-AID on June 26. Sometimes their donations feel like too little, Mochrie said, but it feels good knowing that the charities have more resources to work with than the day before. In 2024, the group donated $10,840 to Andy’s House hospice in Port Carling and $7,260 to Food4Kids Muskoka.

Mochrie said they hope to grow the event to 100 or more supporters. They use social media, email lists, and flyers at post offices, stores and libraries to spread the word about their efforts. As great as it is to hear from local charities during each round of fundraising, it also highlights the immense need in Muskoka.

“There’s a lot that could be done in the community to help all the charities,” she said. “There’s not just these three. There’s a lot of charities out there that are in need of help right now.”

The organizers are grateful to the people who come out and contribute, and they hope to someday expand their meeting schedule to four times a year. For now, they’re trying to capitalize on the seasonal and year-round residents by hosting two meetings in the summer.

Their next meeting will be on Aug. 25 at Windermere Golf and Country Club. About a month before the meeting, organizers will send out an email seeking charity nominations for the event. They’re also getting a head start on their contributions for the Muskoka Shoebox Project as they prepare for their next fundraising event.

The project puts together gift boxes for local women impacted by homelessness and poverty. Last year, Muskoka 100 People Who Care donated over 160 shoeboxes alongside a slew of individual products after hosting a Shoebox Raiser on Nov. 3. They started gathering empty shoeboxes at the June 18 meeting to kickstart progress for this year.

“We plan on doing another [Shoebox Raiser] late November, early December,” Mochrie said. “Last year, we had more product than we had shoeboxes, so we’d like to get that going earlier.”

Mariko Fletcher, program manager and navigator at MiND-AID Muskoka, said groups like Muskoka 100 People Who Care are immensely helpful to local charities. It can be hard for non-profits, especially small grassroots organizations, to find avenues of support. They don’t always know if they’ll get what they need to continue offering services, so efforts like this that provide donations on a regular basis have a huge impact.

“It can be hard, and we want to make sure that our youth are getting served and making sure that their wellness is taken care of,” Fletcher said. “It was just really great to be there with all the other nominations that were there, and to connect with them as well, because they also have great programs.”

The meeting was MiND-AID’s second time presenting with 100 People Who Care. Fletcher said they were surprised to be nominated again, and it was even more amazing to be chosen for the funding. It’s a weight off their staff’s shoulders to receive the donation.

MiND-AID aims to be the “first door” for people who need to access mental wellness services. Finding the right resources can be a challenge, especially if a person is struggling with their mental health, Fletcher said. The organization helps connect locals to therapy, social services, addiction support and more.

“We service anyone who’s under the age of 30 and their families, making sure that they get those right supports,” she said. “We just listen to every part of what’s going on in their life to better understand and to help direct them more in a streamlined approach, so that way you’re not bouncing around from place to place.”

The MiND-AID team is currently revamping their website, so they’ll have a schedule posted for their Mobile Hub in the near future. The hub, which is their On The Road To Youth Wellness van, travels around Muskoka to host free drop-in activities and programs. Whether there’s an official schedule or not, the staff is still delivering services in the community, so anyone in need of help is encouraged to reach out.

Locals who are interested in getting involved are also welcome to get in contact. Fletcher said MiND-AID is still working to grow their organization, so they’re open to volunteers and outside fundraising efforts. Whether it’s from their donation link on Canada Helps or through groups like 100 People Who Care, the money goes straight to helping Muskoka residents.

“Generally, when we have funds like that come through, it goes directly to client support,” Fletcher said. “Whether that be making sure we’re providing necessities as we’re out and about, or maybe it’s the therapy dollars, we do try to make sure that those pockets of money go directly to those who are going to be impacted.”

Going forward, Fletcher is excited to see what other charities are nominated for fundraising through Muskoka 100 People Who Care. It’s a great opportunity, not just for funding, but also to help the community better understand the supports and services available to them in Muskoka. She and her fellow team members are busy with their work at MiND-AID, but she hopes they’ll be able to participate in future meetings.

“I really do enjoy going and just connecting with our community,” she said. “It’s really good to support other non-profits in the area as well, so I hope I could attend one day and be able to support other non-profits that are doing such great work in our community.”

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The meeting will take place from 7 to 8 p.m., and organizers encourage attendees to come and support the local restaurant ahead of the meeting. They also ask participants to bring $100 in cash to put in an envelope upon arrival. Attendees will receive a voting ballot once the envelope with their details and donation is returned to the registration desk. Once the presentation is complete, supporters will vote for their chosen charity, ballots will be collected and counted, and the chosen charity will be announced.

The presenting charities for this event are Muskoka Victim Services, YWCA Muskoka and MiND-AID Muskoka. Each will get a maximum of five minutes to speak about their charity and how they would use these extra funds if awarded to their charity.

The group formed last year to fill the void left when 100 Women Who Care in Bracebridge ceased operating. They meet twice a year to raise money for local charities. Last year, they raised $10,840 for Andy’s House hospice in Port Carling and $7,260 for Food4Kids Muskoka.

Click here to RSVP for the meeting. For more information regarding Muskoka 100 People Who Care, visit the group’s website.

Muskoka 100 People Who Care Raises $7,260 For Food4Kids

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“The skiers put on a world-class show on the frigid waters of Mirror Bay, and we look forward to the continued growth of Canada’s only charity Santa Claus Ski Show,” said Waites in a statement to Muskoka411.

Waites launched the ski show in 2015 as a one-man performance and has watched it evolve into a professional-level production. This year’s show featured over a dozen water skiers, including members of Show Ski Canada and local volunteers dressed as iconic holiday characters. Waites himself reprised his role as Santa Claus, skiing alongside the Grinch—a fan favourite—played by local resident Derek Rickward.

Together, they carved through the chilly November waters, much to the delight of the hundreds of spectators who lined the banks.

The annual show also featured a crowd-pleasing tradition: a lake jump by show announcer Kraig Miller and boat driver Stephen Morrison, who took the plunge after attendees exceeded a goal of $1000 in cash donations.

The ski show has become Kearney’s largest charity event and is scheduled for November 8 at 1:00 pm next year.

Santa Claus Water Ski Show Returns To Kearney

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Clara’s artwork will be proudly featured on all marketing materials for the upcoming 2024/25 school year. The Food4Kids Muskoka Kids Summer Design Challenge invited local children to submit designs inspired by the charity’s mission to provide healthy food to children in need. Clara’s design stood out for its creativity and meaningful representation of our values, and it will now be the face of our outreach efforts for the next year.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate the unveiling of this winning design, especially because it captures the spirit of what we do, and we couldn’t be more proud to share it with the community,” said Kristie Shaver, marketing and communications manager at Food4Kids Muskoka.

The winning design will be showcased on Food4Kids Muskoka’s social media channels, so their team encourages everyone to visit, celebrate and share Clara’s fantastic achievement.

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Formed earlier this year, the group meets twice annually to raise money, learn about three charities and vote on which one should receive the funds. They came together at Turtle Jacks in Port Carling on Aug. 28 for their second meeting of the year. Food4Kids Muskoka, the Muskoka Shoebox Project and MiND-AID Muskoka made presentations about their work, and attendees voted to make the donation to Food4Kids. Sarah Thatcher, founder and executive director at Food4Kids Muskoka, said her team is overjoyed to receive the donation.

“By highlighting charities in our region, they have helped us raise awareness and funds to support our ‘Weekends Without Hunger’ program,” Thatcher said. “With their help, we will be able to continue to scale to feed 400 kids across Muskoka this school year in order to ensure that kids have the food they need on the weekend to help them learn, play and grow.” 

Each Friday during the academic year, the team at Food4Kids Muskoka brings packages of food to schools across the region. The packages are placed directly into students’ bags to avoid any stigma or unwanted attention. They also prioritize foods that are easy for children to open and eat on their own in case their family is facing illness, addiction or other challenges.

Food4Kids is a charity that operates across the continent, and the Muskoka branch started serving children at the end of September last year. Though the local branch is just a year old, the number of families accessing their services has grown quickly. As of February, they were supporting 76 students compared to the 400 they hope to serve this year.

Marion Mochrie, one of the group’s founding members, said it really hit home to hear about their mission. It’s an organized and efficient operation, but more importantly, it fills a critical gap in services for the youngest and most vulnerable people in Muskoka. 

“It’s something that I never thought of before hearing their little talk,” Mochrie said. “Yes, we have programs for kids throughout the week at schools, but I never even thought about the weekends when they go home, they don’t have any food.”

Mochrie and her fellow founding members, Aly Brown and Alex MacDonald, went to the Food4Kids Muskoka facility in Huntsville on Sept. 17 to present the cheque. Since Food4Kids is launching its school-based services next week, it’s the perfect time to kickstart their cash flow.

Muskoka 100 People Who Care were able to raise the money thanks to another great turnout at their second meeting. It was an emotional night hearing about all of the charities, Mochrie said. Many attendees were asking about splitting the funds between the three charities, offering the largest amount to the winning organization, but the founders felt it would lessen their ability to impact local causes.

“I don’t think we’re at a point yet where we could do the split,” she said. “If we had more people come out and we raise more funds, we would think about doing that.”

While only one charity receives the funding, they all get a chance to showcase their efforts and get recognition from the community. At their first meeting, one of the charities that wasn’t selected ended up partnering with a local business. At both meetings, participants donated to the other two charities alongside their contribution to the group.

Mochrie and the other organizers are proud of the fact that they’ve been able to support such critical causes. Their first donation of $10,840 went to Andy’s House, a hospice facility in Port Carling. They hope they can continue to assist local charities for years to come.

“They are both great causes, and there’s so many more great causes out there, it’s overwhelming at times,” Mochrie said. “You’d like to do more, but there’s only so much you can do, so we’ll just keep working at it.”

The organizers decided to add an extra event to their schedule, inspired by one of the speakers at the meeting. They will host a Shoebox Project event at the Port Carling Community Centre on Nov. 3. Locals can join to pack and drop off shoeboxes full of gifts for women experiencing homelessness.

Mochrie said they’re already starting to get donations of wrapping paper, Christmas cards and more. Founding member Aly Brown has also sourced toiletry items like toothpaste and shampoo through family connections, so they’re aiming to put together 150 boxes.

Along with attending the shoebox event, Muskoka 100 People Who Care participants can help the organizers by sharing their opinions on meeting dates. So far, it’s looking like they’ll hold meetings in mid-June and mid-September, but they’re still taking feedback. They’re grateful to everyone who has helped them get the group going, and they’re excited to keep up the momentum.

“I’d just like to thank everybody that was there and that donated,” Mochrie said. “Their motivation to come out is great, and we just hope it can continue on in the future.”

To learn more about Muskoka 100 People Who Care, visit their website. Email muskoka100pwc@gmail.com to provide feedback on meeting dates or to make a donation for the shoebox event on Nov. 3.

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The event will include a social hour from 6 to 7 p.m. and a group meeting from 7 to 8 p.m.  Event organizers Marion Mochrie, Aly Brown and Alex MacDonald are asking participants to bring their donation of $100 in cash. They’re also seeking charity nominations, so locals can submit their suggestions by emailing muskoka100pwc@gmail.com before July 30. The group will have a designated area in the restaurant, so donors should reach out to reserve their tables.

“We would like to encourage you to grab dinner before or after the event,” the organizers said in a message to participants. “To make this as smooth as possible and to know how many will be in attendance, RSVP with your group names, what time you will be arriving and if you plan to grab dinner so we can help the restaurant prepare for our Muskoka 100 People Who Care event!”

Participants will receive their ballot once they submit an envelope with their donation and personal details at the registration desk. Three charities will do presentations about their work, the group will vote and the chosen charity will be announced at the end of the event.

The charity made its first donation last month, providing $10,840 to Andy’s House hospice in Port Carling. The basic idea of their approach is collecting $100 from 100 donors at each meeting, but they’re not strict about the details.

Members don’t have to commit to every event, but local charities will receive funding from Muskoka 100 People Who Care at two meetings each year.

To learn more about the charity, read the article below. To RSVP, email muskoka100pwc@gmail.com.

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The funds were collected at their inaugural meeting on June 18. Supporters came together at Bass Lake Roadhouse to hear presentations on Andy’s House hospice facility, the West Muskoka Food Bank, and Muskoka Family Focus & Children’s Place. After the presentations, attendees voted for Andy’s House as the first fundraising recipient. Founding members Marion Mochrie, Aly Brown and Alex MacDonald decided to form the group after a similar charity dissolved a few years earlier. 

“Aly, myself and Alex, we were members of 100 Women Who Care in Bracebridge,” Mochrie said. “When it folded, we had the urge to keep it going because [there’s] a great need in the community.”

The idea behind the groups is that 100 people donate $100 and vote on which local charity should receive the money. When they came together to create the new version of 100 People Who Care, the founding members decided to keep membership open-ended. 

Members aren’t required to commit for a specific amount of time or attend every meeting, so whoever comes to contribute is welcome. Since the event only runs about an hour to an hour and a half, it’s meant to accommodate busy families and individuals. They also made the group inclusive of all genders.

During the first meeting, restaurant goers with no connection to the event decided to donate. They even had a dozen donors or so who couldn’t attend but still provided money. 

“We’re not exactly doing 100 Women Who Care,” Mochrie said. “We’re not following that exact mandate, but hopefully we are successful in the way we want to do it.”

Since all the founding members are from Port Carling, the area was a natural choice for the first place to host a meeting and select charities, but they hope to expand to include the whole district. The venues for the meetings will change, both to make it easier for people around Muskoka to attend and to promote different businesses within the region.

Nearly all of the meeting attendees had dinner before, during or after the event, so it was a great chance to showcase Bass Lake Roadhouse alongside the charities. Other local businesses contributed coupons and vouchers for loot bags and door prizes.

“We want to continue to make it a fun night and a night that everybody wants to attend, not only to support and represent charities but also to encourage a fun night out with friends while doing something impactful,” Brown said.

Even though the group chose Andy’s House for the funding, it’s not the only charity that benefited from being nominated. Reed Curry, who owns and operates the Brackenrig Butcher alongside his family, attended the inaugural meeting and ended up selecting the West Muskoka Food Bank for their Meals on Hold program. 

“It’s very simple,” he said. “There’s a jar on the counter. Any patron of the shop is encouraged to drop $5, $10, whatever they feel like, in the jar and in exchange for that, anyone who needs it can walk in our front door any day of the week, no questions asked, and take basically a meal ticket off of the wall.”

The ticket allows people to get a protein of their choice without proving need or sharing personal details. Curry encourages anyone in the community to use the program if they’ve fallen on hard times or know someone who has. Because it’s still in its early days, he also selects a charity each quarter to support with any additional funds.

The shop launched the Meals on Hold program during the Civic Holiday weekend last year. As of this month, the shop has facilitated $5,000 worth of food put back into the community. Curry attended the Muskoka 100 People Who Care meeting because he admires the efficiency of the program, so it was a happy coincidence that he was able to learn more about West Muskoka Food Bank.

“Since then, we’ve teamed up with the West Muskoka Food Bank, and we’ll be helping to supply their protein via our Meals on Hold program to help offset their ongoing growing grocery costs and help them get on for the next month or two,” he said.

Curry also helped the food bank sell an extra freezer to one of his farmer friends in yet another win-win from the event. 

These kinds of connections are exactly what the founding members of Muskoka 100 People Who Care were hoping to facilitate. All three of the presenting charities get the chance to spread the word about their cause, increase their potential pool of volunteers and create other partnerships within the community.

“For the charities that necessarily don’t win the large donation, a lot of good has still come out of it, and that’s a prime example,” MacDonald said.

Though 100 Women Who Care ran quarterly meetings, the team behind Muskoka 100 People Who Care elected to go with two meetings a year to reduce the financial strain on participants. They plan to host one in late spring and another in late summer or early fall.

The next meeting is set for August 28, though the founding members have yet to select a venue or charities for the next round of giving. They encourage people across the region to nominate causes by emailing muskoka100pwc@gmail.com. Though the meetings are somewhat close together, they want to ensure they’re bringing in as many contributors as possible.

“Cottagers have always expressed interest in attending events like this, but normally they’re not up due to the time of the year that the meetings are held,” MacDonald said. “We feel with the next event on August 28, [it accommodates] our local crowd as well as our cottager crowd, who are also committed to making an impact on the community that they love so much.”

Mochrie, Brown and MacDonald got a tour of Andy’s House before the cheque presentation on June 24. The facility opened in October 2020 after years of fundraising and preparation. It offers eight palliative care rooms and a pediatric palliative care room to families in Muskoka Lakes, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and beyond. 

MacDonald said she and the other women were moved to tears after seeing what a special place Andy’s House is. They’re thrilled to provide such a large sum of money for their first donation, and they’re looking forward to the future of Muskoka 100 People Who Care.

“We had an overwhelming amount of support and attendance,” MacDonald said. “We’ve raised $10,840 with our first inaugural meeting, which was much more than I think any of us had anticipated, and our hearts are full that the community came out so strong and supported each charity by coming to listen and ultimately choosing Andy’s House to be the recipient of the donation.”

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The Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup has minor hockey teams perform acts of kindness for the chance to win a cash prize for a local charity. The Huntsville Sting U13-Black hockey team selected Food4Kids Muskoka, which provides food to local children to ensure they have weekends without hunger. The hockey players worked alongside the community and the Food4Kids staff to submit good deeds, which ultimately totalled more than half of the contest’s submissions. The team was announced as the winner during Hockey Night in Canada on March 16.

“This money represents a significant achievement and also allows us to expand our operations one year earlier than originally planned, which will help us feed more kids sooner,” said Sarah Thatcher, executive director at Food4Kids Muskoka. “Beyond the funding though, Food4Kids Muskoka is working hard to encourage a new generation of volunteers and community members who are always looking for ways to help others.”

The Good Deeds Cup was a good chance to further that mission. Their staff worked with the players to pick up litter, donate clothes and more with the hope of inspiring “a movement of goodness and kindness in Muskoka.”  They’re thrilled to see what the Sting players have been able to do.

“It inspired the young girls to see needs in their community and respond to them,” Thatcher said. “That is what we hope for the next generation, and we are excited about what has been started in Huntsville! This is just the beginning and we can’t wait to see what the girls will do next.”

Team manager Sarah Roberts said the town is buzzing after hearing the news. The team, their friends and family, and volunteers at Food4Kids hustled to make it happen, so she wants to give a shoutout to everyone who played a part. 

“Our team and our families, they showed up and their dedication to the challenge was incredible,” she said. “To the community, they also were a huge part of this win, and we would like to thank every single person that supported us by sending in a good deed and helping us to fill the cup.”

From the beginning of the season, the coaching staff was looking for ways for the team to bond and develop skills together, on and off the ice. Participating in the Good Deeds Cup was amazing for team bonding and helped them practice hard work, perseverance and dedication as a team, Roberts said.

The team chose Food4Kids as their charity in part because it’s a non-profit that directly helps the player’s peers. The company coordinates with schools to put packages of food into student’s backpacks discreetly every Friday. The girls on the Sting team got a first-hand look at the process when they visited the Food4Kids Muskoka’s office to volunteer and assemble food packages.

“It is such a good feeling to know that we have been able to support them, both with the $100,000 that we know will go a long way as well as with the community recognition that they’re getting being a new charity,” Roberts said. “Just having their name out there is going to have a huge impact on what they’re able to do for other families in our community in the upcoming years, so we’re beyond proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

Roberts was in on the news before the rest of the team, so she helped coordinate a grand reveal for the players. She told the team they were heading to the Active Living Centre for a photo shoot. When they arrived, they went around back to find cameras and a convoy of vehicles with decals for the Huntsville Sting and the Good Deeds Cup championship. A bus announcing their win came down the hill, and when they read it, the team went wild.

“[I have] no words to describe how I felt in that moment,” said player Piper Heffernan. “We were shocked and speechless!”

As part of the win, the team got to tour the Hockey Night in Canada studio where they met sportscaster Ron MacLean and former hockey player Kevin Bieksa. The team also enjoyed the penthouse at Hotel X, visited an arcade and watched the Toronto Maple Leafs game, including the announcement of their win, in a private theatre. 

Heffernan said every part of the trip was amazing. For her and her teammates, knowing they’ve been able to help their community is the core of what made it so great.

“It feels really good to be able to help out kids and their families who really need food,” she said.

The players still feel like movie stars, Roberts said. Being a Canada-wide contest in its eighth year, she is shocked by the lack of knowledge surrounding the competition. She knows that the Huntsville Sting has helped put it on the radar for local teams, so she’s hopeful they’ll be able to support another Huntsville hockey team in next year’s challenge.

“I think that this will have a lifelong impact on our players and I think it will have a lifelong impact on our community, not just with the money for Food4Kids,” she said. “The recognition of how easy it is to do a small act of kindness that brings joy to somebody’s day has been brought out to the forefront with this challenge, and I do think it’s been a win-win for everybody.”

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