A Windsor youth hockey organization has received a grant through the OREO Stay Playful For All program, put on by OREO and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA).
The program helps invigorate local communities, keep the sport inclusive, and nurture the next generation of hockey players.
A combined $200,000 in equipment grants were handed out to 14 organizations across Canada, including Windsor's Take A Shot Hockey.
Take A Shot's hockey program began in 2021, and helps ensure that all youth are afforded the opportunity to participate in sport.
Director and head coach, Steve Pronger, said their Saturday program at the WFCU Centre currently has 24 kids, ranging in ages from eight to 12.
"We're in our fourth winter and we provide hockey opportunity, a free learn to play hockey opportunity, for local youth who are not in the situation where they can pay to play and participate in typical recreational leagues," Pronger said.
Take A Shot received $10,000 in equipment and Pronger said it will go a long way to help the kids begin their hockey journey.
"So we have enough equipment now to outfit 15 of our youth participants and two goaltenders with brand new stuff head to toe, skates to helmet. It's going directly to all the kids in our program. In fact, they've already been outfitted. We had an equipment fitting session on October 2, and we've already had two weeks of our program," he said.
Pronger said the program is always in need of hockey equipment.
"Sometimes we have new equipment, donations come to us, or local sponsors or supporters, but for the most part each and every Take A Shot Hockey program that we provide, and that's twice a year, we outfit the kids and we want them to keep the equipment," said Pronger.
Anyone interested in learning more about the program can click here.