Courtesy: Wray Morrison

By Wray Morrison

hockey with heart, hsas food drive

U SPORTS Championships assist in support for the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre

Mar 12, 2024 | 10:01 AM

The 2024 GFL U SPORTS women’s hockey championships, presented by Connect Energy, will not only provide sports fans with great entertainment, but the event will also assist with a great need in the community. On Sunday, March 17^th the championships conclude with the “Hockey With Heart, HSAS Food Drive.”

Bins will be set up at the main doors of Merlis Belsher Place, and throughout the arena, and fans are encouraged to bring food items in support of the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre. “We are proud to be part of this”, said Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan President, Karen Schmid. “We are hoping that everyone who comes out, that you bring a hat trick of food items!”

Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre Executive Director, Laurie O’Connor, is thrilled with the platform that the championships provide and the partnership with HSAS. “We have a record number of users”, said O’Connor. Some months as many as 23,000 folks are being helped by our food bank program. We just want to be sure we have great food to hand out to folks who are in a time of crisis. They (HSAS) have been big supporters of what we do.”

HSAS has been working with the Saskatoon and Regina food banks since 2017. “We just honestly feel that the important work that they do for the community is so valuable”, said Schmid. “Ensuring that everyone has high quality, nutritious food to eat is vital. We just believe in their mission and values. It fits well with a lot of the professionals that we represent.”

Feeding Saskatoon’s hungry is just one of many initiatives at the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre. “We have a host of other programs that we feel fill some voids,” said O’Connor. “One is a workplace program. We have our clothing depot. We have an income tax program…folks who are living on low income can have their taxes done for free. Then of course there is the garden patch. We grow food on an acre and a half, we love that place! We’ve been able to supply thousands of pounds of food for the food hampers.”

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The Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre is also in the midst of a capital campaign for a new facility in Riversdale. Information is available at www.saskatoonfoodbank.org.

Hockey fans can also make a cash donation to the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre on the final day of the championships. The first game on the 17^th starts at 11:00 am with the consolation final. The bronze medal contest is slated for 3:00 pm. Puck drop for the gold medal game is at 6:00 pm at Merlis Belsher Place.

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wray.morrison@pattisonmedia.com

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