Plattsville hockey players turn vandalism into an act of community kindness
By Amanda Nelson
In response to the vandalism of a local war memorial banner, players from the Plattsville and District Minor Hockey Association's U18 and U13 boys teams came together earlier this month to raise money for the New Hamburg Royal Canadian Legion Branch 532 and support a younger team heading to a tournament.
The players raised $2,500 through a community breakfast and a neighbourhood leaf-raking fundraiser, showing that even in the face of hate, there are young people who care deeply about their community.
The fundraising effort was prompted by news that a memorial banner honouring Pte. Tyler William Todd, a local soldier killed in Afghanistan, had been vandalized with spray paint in downtown New Hamburg on Oct. 24.
Todd's family is from the Plattsville and Bright area, and he had previously played hockey in Plattsville, making the incident particularly personal for the players, coaches and families involved.
"It’s heartbreaking; nobody wants to hear about something like that happening, especially during this time of year when we honour what these people have done for our communities and our country. We just really wanted to do something," said Scott Higgins, U18 team coach.
The U18 players began by hosting a community breakfast at Trails Edge, where they took orders, bussed tables and washed dishes throughout the morning. The restaurant donated the food and staff, while proceeds from the breakfast went to the Legion and trips, which amounted to $1,200, supported an upcoming U11 boys tournament.
Later, players from both the U18 and U13 teams joined forces for a neighbourhood leaf-raking fundraiser.
For nearly five hours, the boys went door to door asking residents if they would like their leaves raked in exchange for a donation. There was no set amount, allowing residents to contribute whatever they could toward the cause.
In total, the teams together raised nearly $2,500. A cheque for $1,300 was presented to the Legion, while another $1,200 was donated to the U11 team.
"I think it means a lot for us as a team," said Nolan Filiatrault, U18 B assistant captain. "Showing up and donating as a team and giving back to the community feels good. Being able to show up and mentor the younger team means a lot to us, too."
For the coaches, the initiative was about more than raising money. It was also an opportunity for the older players to set an example for the younger boys teams and show what it means to be part of a community.
"The Todd family is local to Plattsville and Bright, and he used to play for Plattsville. It just really meant more to us because of that. We wanted to show up and show the community that there are good kids out there. And these kids truly are great kids. They really are," said Talon Keys, U13 B coach and president of the Plattsville and District Minor Hockey Association.
Keys said the initiative also highlighted the connection between the two teams, with younger players looking up to the older players as role models.
"At an age when they're learning how to be men and how to be part of the community, taking part in these types of initiatives shows them what it means to be a good community member. We wanted to support that as an organization, too," he said.
"It was also great to see the U13 players looking up to the U18s, who are setting an example of how to be good people in the community. It created a nice little lineage between the two teams. It was a couple of great days, for sure."
Keys said he was proud to see how enthusiastically the players embraced the opportunity to give back.
"It feels great to be … the head of an organization that wants to give back the way that they have. The kids were out there having a blast. It was a beautiful day. There were smiles on everybody's faces, so nobody was out there against their will. They wanted to do this, and it feels good to be behind an organization that wants to do something like this," he said.
Bill Pearson, president of the New Hamburg Legion, said he was pleased to hear about the hockey teams coming together to support the Legion through their donation and show their commitment to the community. He also praised the families for their support.
“We need the younger generation to continue becoming involved in the Legion and supporting veterans through initiatives like helping the community and taking part in Remembrance activities for years to come,” he said. “Without younger people becoming active members of the Legion, some Legions across the country may eventually be forced to close their doors.”
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