NEWS RELEASE
FORD OF CANADA
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Ford of Canada, the official automotive partner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and creator of the Ford Drills & Skills program, is pleased to announce that the BWGMHA Novice A and Orillia Minor Peewee Terriers have been selected as the Grand Prize winners in the Ford Drills & Skills competition.
The prize includes visiting Scotiabank Arena for a rare opportunity to train like professional hockey players.
“This year the Ford Drills & Skills program recognizes 16 youth minor hockey teams from across Southern Ontario for their dedication to their communities and charitable contributions,” said Nelly Cusan, national partnerships manager, Ford of Canada. “Ford of Canada is proud to support players by inviting them to practice on the same ice as a professional NHL team plays on, sharpening their skills and providing them with valuable experience. A big congratulations from Ford of Canada to all the teams who, through hard work, have won the chance to participate in this special program.”
Grand prizewinners will participate in a variety of skill-building sessions on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena, including:
- Skills Development
- Train Like a Leaf (physical fitness and conditioning)
- Eat Like a Leaf (nutrition)
In previous years, Toronto Maple Leafs alumni Wendel Clark and Darryl Sittler surprised the teams with a visit - who knows who will stop by this year to speak to the kids?
BWGMHA NOVICE A
“The Ford Drills and Skills program has inspired the team to think about how they can be leaders on the ice and in their communities” said Joe Lotto of the BWGMHA Novice A. “Beyond the awesome reward of a session with the hockey pros, this is a great opportunity to put our teamwork toward a charitable goal.”
Last season, the Novice A-team organized a food drive at the local Zehrs. The team was so inspired by the amount of food and money the community donated during their drive. Because of that, they wanted to learn how and where the money and food was going. The team stocked the shelves and sorted the food into the proper location at the BWG food bank, and donated $400 in cash to the food bank. It was a great learning experience for the team to give back to their community.
ORILLIA MINOR PEEWEE TERRIERS
“We are so excited to have the opportunity to train just like the Toronto Maple Leafs,” says Coyer Yateman of the Orillia Minor Peewee 'A' Terriers. “The Ford Drills and Skills program has inspired the team to think about how they can be leaders on the ice and in their communities “It’s great to see all of the teams hard work this season recognized, and we are thankful to Ford of Canada for this once in a lifetime experience.”
Off the ice, the team recognized the importance of providing some assistance towards our community and its members. The team organized and filled multiple hockey bags with food donations and dropped them of at the local food bank. The team also volunteered with the Salvation Army and the Christmas Kettles. The team was able to earn 50 per cent more when they stood with the kettles than during other times. These two contributions the team provided to the community demonstrated valuable life skills including: generosity, time management, supporting everyone in your community, and compassion.
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