Battalion players take turns serving food to North Bay's homeless
When North Bay Battalion hockey players aren't getting ready for a game, you might spot them in The Gathering Place soup kitchen serving hot meals to the city's vulnerable.
"I think it's a nice piece to meet the people of North Bay and get them lunch and it's been super nice to have my teammates here as well," said Battalion forward Dalyn Wakely.
Wakely founded the initiative, which has been dubbed ‘Wake's Sakes.’ He spoke to his billet family and team about wanting to give back to the city, while at the same time bringing awareness to the issues of homelessness in the surrounding area.
Wakely explained his teammates enjoy sitting down and talking with the clients.
"They talk about us a little bit but we get to meet with them and talk to them," said Wakely. "It's a nice give and take."
Every Tuesday for a few hours, Wakely and a few other players get behind the line and serve food during the lunch rush hour.
The soup kitchen is grateful to have a few extra helping hands.
"You hear about young people and they're all entitled and self-absorbed," said Dennis Chippa, The Gathering Place's executive director.
"These guys come in here every single Tuesday to serve and see the population."
When North Bay Battalion hockey players aren't getting ready for a game, you might spot them in The Gathering Place soup kitchen serving hot meals to the city's vulnerable. (Eric Taschner/CTV News)
As part of Wake's Sakes, the hockey team holds monthly collection drives. In November, the team and The Gathering Place collected close to 400 gently used winter coats, which were distributed to the city's homeless population.
"It's really about driving not just stuff but the awareness from a group of individuals like the hockey players that we have a vulnerable population here," said Chippa.
"It's been really inspirational."
This month, the team is collecting toothbrushes and toothpaste among other hygiene products.
Wakely said he never thought the idea would be such a success.
"I knew this piece would be great,” he said.
“But I didn't know how much support we'd get from the rest of the community. It's been outstanding.”
Wake's Sakes will run until the regular season ends.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.