Tom Hedican along with his wife Nancy Ann, bring in one of the last boxes of food to conclude the successful Coach4Food campaign in 2009. Hedican is running the unique fundraising event again in 2010. File Photo.
Tom Hedican along with his wife Nancy Ann, bring in one of the last boxes of food to conclude the successful Coach4Food campaign in 2009. Hedican is running the unique fundraising event again in 2010. File Photo.Tom Hedican’s Coach4Food fundraiser will take place for the 6th consecutive year in North Bay, beginning in early December and running until Christmas. The event, which has become the single largest fundraiser for the North Bay Food Bank is on the brink of breaking the 200,000-pound mark, including food raised in New Jersey as the NHL’s Jersey Devils participated in the event in 2008. The Devils have carried on their drive against hunger ever since.
Coach4Food, whereby Hedican runs hockey practices using NHL and European skill drills, in return for non-perishable items for the food bank, was inspired by rock star Bruce Springsteen’s work to fill food banks all over North America.
“And my parents, my late mom Shirley, and my father Ernie, taught me that we all have a responsibility to assist people in our own community,” Hedican said in a press release.
The practices are run on each individual team’s own practice time. It is imperative that teams contact Hedican early, as the past two years there have been waiting lists for participating teams.
“It has gone from players taking something out of their own cupboards, to teams meeting and putting their sweaters on and going out into the community, door-to-door, collecting food," said Hedican.
"They are collecting money at their parents’ place of work… you name it. We have had everything from a few hundred pounds to 6,000 pounds brought to the rink.”
Each dollar collected equals 1.5 pounds of food. Last year was a record-setting year, totalling more than 76,000 pounds and had the endorsement of not only Springsteen, but Team Canada and Columbus Blue Jacket coach Ken Hitchcock, North Bay’s Mike Yeo of the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins and Olympic skier Steve Omischl, goaltender Cristobal Huet of the Chicago Blackhawks and NHL goaltending coach Corey Hirsch of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“I would sincerely like to thank all of the sponsors of Coach4Food, participating teams, the thousands of people who donated food, and the media who have made this event what it is," he said.
All those interested in taking part in the Coach4Food phenomenon are asked to contact Tom Hedican via email at
at
[email protected].
Businesses or individuals who donate as official sponsors of a Coach4Food practice will be recognized following the practice in The Nugget, CKAT and The Fox Radio, The Moose FM and Baytoday.ca. Cogego North Bay News also reports on the progress and totals of Coach4Food.
“I look forward to working once again with this incredibly kind and caring community," added Hedican.
"I am not sure how we will ever match last year’s total of more than 76,000 pounds of food - in fact, I am pretty sure it’s impossible - but every pound will be used by someone who desperately needs it. It’s our hometown, let’s take care of it. Let‘s fill the building on Hammond Street this Christmas.”
