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Minor Atom AA Trappers break all-time Coach4Food single donation

Atom Trappers along with head coach Marc Long and Mayor Al McDonald outside Independent Grocer's recently during their record setting Coach4Food fundraising. PHOTO COURTESY MARC LONG.

Atom Trappers along with head coach Marc Long and Mayor Al McDonald outside Independent Grocer's recently during their record setting Coach4Food fundraising. PHOTO COURTESY MARC LONG.

The Pro Sharp Minor Atom AA Trapper have broken the all-time single donation mark for Tom Hedican's Coach4Food Program.

After a high-paced practice in Powassan, they tipped the scales for the North Bay Food Bank at more than 7 tons of food, including monetary donations. The Atoms with their hard work loaded 15,000 pounds onto the fundraiser for area food banks.

"Unbelievable," said Coach4Food founder Hedican.

"These kids collected at Independent Grocer, they collected in their neighborhoods, they collected everywhere. And they tell me they're still going!"

The team, sponsored by Bernard Rochefort Plumbing & Heating and Assante 101, pushed this year's total to 48,552 pounds with just 3 days remaining.

"It was a complete team effort and when I mean team not just our team," said head coach Marc Long. "Thanks to Parker's Independent for letting us be there collecting food, our sponsors always willing to help, the people of North Bay who stepped up and helped by donating not only food but money and of course these young men on our team willing to take a Sunday off from hockey and do what they did. True young leaders."

Assistant coach Eric Thomson concurred.

"As soon as we mention to the kids that it’s Coach4Food time again, they are all over it," said Thomson.

"They get excited and we have zero complaints or issues getting them out collecting and asking people for donations of either food or money.  It’s pretty hard to say no to some of these kids.

"North Bay is an extremely generous community and our team is just fortunate enough to live in a community where people are constantly willing to help other people.  We’re all very proud to be part of what Coach4Food is all about," added Thomson.

"Special thanks go out to Rochefort Plumbing and Heating and Assante 101 for their generosity and for two big assists towards the boys efforts."

"People can donate or collect right up until Sunday," added Hedican.

This year the top collecting girl's and boy's teams will be honored before a North Bay Battalion home game and have a practice run by the team's coaching staff. The third place finisher - boys or girls - will also get a practice with Battalion coaches.

Hedican, a professional goaltending consultant, is running practices using NHL and European skill drills for teams that do food drives for area food banks. Coach4Food, inspired by rock star Bruce Springsteen's work with food banks in Canada, the U.S, and around the world, will wrap up December 21st.