KRAFT LAUNCHES NEW HOCKEY PROGRAM With the ongoing NHL lockout, Kraft Canada cancelled its 2013 Kraft Hockeyville program, but announced a new program called Kraft Hockey Goes On. The program will award $1 million to Hockey Canada affiliated minor hockey associations across the country. The idea is to celebrate volunteerism in the game, and to recognize the people who are really the backbone of hockey. Through the program, Kraft Hockey Goes On will recognize the top five volunteers and award his or her local hockey association with $100,000. The program will also recognize an additional 20 volunteers and award his or her local hockey association with $20,000, as well as provide $100,000 to Hockey Canada to distribute to Learn to Skate programs at local levels. In January, communities can nominate local volunteers from January 21 to March 8. A panel will choose the top 100 individuals. Canadians can vote for their local hockey volunteer starting March 23. The top five communities will be announced March 30. Communities can now go to www.facebook.com/KraftHockeyGoesOn to find out how to get involved.
LEARN THE GAME On the House League front, “Learn to Play” programs are an inexpensive way to introduce kids to the game, as Michael Wren, president of the North York Knights of Columbus, is finding out. The league presently has over 300 kids across three arenas on the ice, every Saturday morning, for 23 weeks. Costs are low – around $300 for the year. Kids are on the ice for an hour at a time, go through skating drills, and usually scrimmage near the end. “The idea is to eventually feed the house league,” Wren said. That’s what it’s all about – getting into the trenches, further building the game, one kid at a time.
GTHL EVENTS TEAM The GTHL plans to have a greater presence in the rinks with the launch of the events team program. The team will be present at various tournaments, GTHL special events, and league games at busy arenas, interacting with people. It also allows the GTHL’s sponsors and partners another way to engage with members of the league. The team will also be at community events that are not hockey related, allowing the league to reach new audiences and attract new participants to the game. The events team vehicle was supplied by Addison GM as part of the ongoing partnership with the GTHL.
HOCKEY ASSIST Also, on the Addison front, the GTHL has created a program with Addison called Addison Hockey Assist. If an individual buys a vehicle from one of their dealerships, Addison will give that individual’s hockey association $400 towards registration costs. Go to www.addisonhockeyassist.com for more information. 13