While most of the audience at any minor hockey game are the parents and family of the players, some of the audience are just members of the local community who are interested in their area’s sporting events. And even if there isn’t much “community turnout” at any given minor hockey game, minor hockey teams still receive a lot of support from their community.
Any team that holds fundraisers gets their support from the local people, and teams can receive funding from either the local government or community businesses. Because of this, one of the kindest things a minor hockey team can do, and a great thing to teach children of any age, is to give back to their community. There are loads of ways a hockey team can give back to the community that supports them.
These activities will make the players feel great about themselves and what they’re doing, and give the whole team a unique, valuable bonding experience. In many cases, a volunteering opportunity with their hockey team will be the first time the kids are exposed to the idea of “giving back.” Some of the players might find that they enjoy volunteering, and it will stick with them for a long while. Below are some ideas for how a minor hockey team can achieve community outreach.
Food Drives
One of the most common ways for minor hockey teams to give back to their community is to host a food drive. The concept is simple and classic: ask the people of the community to donate non-perishable food items (food that doesn’t quickly go bad), gather all the donated food and give it to a food bank. The food bank will then distribute the food to those in the community who need it most.
To obtain food items, members of a minor hockey team can ask their families and friends. The team can also advertise the food drive on their website (if they have one) and in the local hockey arena where they hold practices and games. Food drives can often accomplish a lot for the community, and are relatively easy to execute.
Volunteering
Like the other items on this list, volunteering in the community can be an incredibly fulfilling experience. There are usually countless organizations and businesses ready to accept volunteers and put them to work to help make their community better. Plus, a lot of the volunteer opportunities can be truly fun for the kids of a minor hockey team. Here are some of the most common volunteering ideas, good for large groups, and are also simple enough for children:
- Host a charity walk or run
- Work at a local food shelter
- Make treats or other small gifts to deliver to a local police, paramedic, or fire station
- Write letters to deployed service members
- Deliver meals to people in the neighbourhood
Cleaning Up the Community
The most direct way for a minor hockey team to demonstrate community outreach is to literally use their own hands! The team can clean up a park or other popular, public areas, or even help remove graffiti at various spots across the town. While they may not be the most glamorous of activities, the team will still get a wonderful sense of achievement in helping, and they’ll get a little extra exercise at the same time.
Charity Fundraisers
While food drives and charity walks have already been mentioned, the team truly has the freedom to help any charity that they feel passionate about. First, they need to select a charity (or charities) that they would like to donate to. Then they need to come up with any idea that can raise money. Once the fundraiser is over, they can take all the proceeds and donate them to that charity.
One clear benefit of hosting a charity fundraiser is that the team gets to raise money in whatever way they want. Not only can the kids choose the charity they want to donate too, they also get to pick the method of how the money is raised. They can host a bake sale, design shirts, host raffles, run a car wash; anything that will service the community and raise some money at the same time. Plus, the fundraiser is likely to be even more successful if the locals giving the funds know the proceeds are going to a charity.
Communities are fantastic support systems for minor hockey teams. Performing community service can be a wonderful experience for both the team and the town. The team will be able to bond, while also learning the value of helping others. This will show the community that the team truly appreciates the support they receive, and everyone will come out of the experience with a smile on their face.
