Game on! More than 40 kids outfitted with donated hockey gear

Rob and Ben Milmine enjoyed a father and son moment at Earl Haig Family Fun Park on Saturday.

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But it wasn’t the lazy river or water slide that brought them to the park on a cold Saturday morning in January. Instead, they spent the morning checking out the sports equipment being distributed by Free Sport For Growth, a new grassroots organization in Brantford.

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“He’s five years old and looking to get into hockey and I figured this is a great way to help him get started,” Milmine said. “He can get all of the equipment he needs and if he likes it great.

“If he decides he wants to do something else instead, then we can bring the equipment back and someone else can use it.”

After picking through the hockey equipment, they left with two hockey sticks, socks, a helmet, jersey and shoulder pads. They were just a couple of the more than 40 kids accompanied by a parent, to take advantage of the free give away. A previous event held at Earl Haig before Christmas attracted more than 80 kids.

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“It’s a great program for a couple of reasons,” Milmine said. “It gives kids a chance to try something without putting pressure on family finances and it encourages them to be active.

“Organized sports are great, but it can be expensive and this is something that really helps.”

A resident of the Shellard Lane area, Milmine is also hoping that the give away fulfills it’s goal of getting more kids playing in local parks. Weather permitting he’s hoping there will soon be a couple of neighborhood rinks in place.

Established by Dave Levac and Ross Enslev, Free Sport For Growth is an effort to get kids active and playing in neighborhood parks. Levac, a former Brantford-Brant MPP, and Enslev are both retired teachers and have seen the value of outdoor play for child development. They’re trying to bring back the joys of outdoor play to future generations.

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Working with a volunteer team, they have collected hundreds of donated hockey sticks, jerseys, socks, helmets, shin pads and skates to support their effort.

John Gefucia, a long time Eagle Place resident and neighborhood booster, was one of six volunteers helping kids get outfitted for equipment on Saturday morning.

“I really like what they’re trying to do,” Gefucia, who lives close to Parson’s Park in Brantford, said. “The park is getting more use now since they put in the new playground equipment.

“But it would be nice to see it used even more by kids.”

Tom Carden of Brantford also paid a visit to Earl Haig on Saturday but he wasn’t looking to collect hockey equipment. He was there to donate some hockey sticks.

“I heard about this and I had a bunch of sticks around the house and thought someone else might be able to use them,” Carden said. “I’m just a regular guy who just wants to help out.”

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