Youth in a pair of Indigenous communities in Manitoba will be receiving some fresh equipment to ensure they can participate in hockey this season. The Indigenous Hockey Equipment Drive returned in Winnipeg on Tuesday, with 13 full pallets of hockey bags and equipment being prepared for delivery to Bloodvein First Nation and Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation in Nelson House. Graham McWaters is the founder of the equipment drive and says the goal is to help reduce the financial barrier for children and youth to join hockey. “If you give them a chance to play sports, it’s going to give them a chance to develop their own identity,” he said. “It’s going to bring them into camaraderie. They’re going to eat better. They’re going to sleep better. They’re not going to get into other things that could harm their lives.” Bloodvein River First Nation Chief Lisa Young said the new equipment will be put to good use for youth in her community, a thought echoed by Cheryl Moore, chief of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation. “Many of our children walk down the road with a hockey stick in hand and just push around a rock on the road and just try to keep themselves busy,” Young said. “So this will definitely help. Bloodvein is all about sobriety and encouraging our youth to maintain a sober life and not get involved in drugs and alcohol.” “It’s about the children,” Moore said. “It’s about the community. And if you keep kids busy, imagine what they can do for us in the future.” McWaters said the program has had a tangible impact on communities, with several saying it has helped reduce suicide rates among youth because they have recreation opportunities available. The equipment drive has taken place since 2014, with more than 6,900 bags of equipment and 11,000 hockey sticks distributed to 83 Indigenous communities across Canada.
