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Hockey P.E.I.’s Hockeywell program has helped hundreds of families get young players started with equipment over the last dozen years, but there’s always one area where supply has some trouble meeting demand.
“I’m trying to get skates size 4, 5 and 6. That’s what we really need,” said George Halliwell, who founded the program in 2012.
In 2012, Hockeywell was an old laundry bin with some signs around it at UPEI. People could put stuff in or take things out. The laundry cart is still there, but how the donated gear is distributed is now more elaborate.
“In our office we have some space here, so we put some shelving in and we have it set up like a dressing room. And the smell is here with it,” said Halliwell.
Hockey is an expensive sport, and the gear Hockeywell collects is not just for families having trouble making ends meet. There are few families that can easily take the risk of spending $1,000 on gear for a sport that a child might play for a few weeks before losing interest.
Consider it a loan
Instead of starting out by buying new gear at retail prices, parents can begin the journey at Hockeywell.
“This takes away the financial risk,” said Halliwell. “If the kids do not want to play, you just bring the gear back to us.”
Pre-COVID, the Hockeywell project peaked at more than 300 families helped in a single year. This year Halliwell expects it will be about 150.
The program is running only in Charlottetown at the moment, but Halliwell would like to see it expanded into Prince and Kings counties.
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