Tom Hedican chats with Timbits instructor Steve Hayne during Wednesday night's Timbits Family Skate which also supported Coach4Food. Photo by Chris Dawson.
Tom Hedican chats with Timbits instructor Steve Hayne during Wednesday night's Timbits Family Skate which also supported Coach4Food. Photo by Chris Dawson.
Swiss businessman Peter Kern didn't think Tom Hedican's Coach4Food campaign should just break last year's record. He thought demolishing it might be more appropriate, in order to help those in North Bay who needed a hand at Christmas.
Kern, whom Hedican works for, came in with his third annual donation of $10,000.00 Wednesday to rocket the Coach4Food fundraiser for the North Bay Food Bank to more than 100,000 pounds, crushing last year's record of 76,319.
"Three years ago I said 100 thousand pounds would be a dream and I said that as a complete joke, it wasn't even a goal at that point and to hear that number come out of my mouth even as a I say it to you; I'm speachless," said Hedican at a Timbits Skate Wednesday evening.
Added to that, were several last minute donations including a financial donation from the the North Bay Trappers Jr A hockey Alumni Association of $5,000.
Added to that were a number of other unexpected donations that shot Hedican's Coach4Food Program to a new record of 107,969 pounds for the North Bay Food Bank.
The last Coach4Food practice also played a major role in the total with a goalie clinic for the North Bay Girls & District Hockey Association, sponsored by Stockfish Automotive Group, adding 3,120 pounds.
Other donations, either financial or in food, that made up the total Tuesday were from Rob Jamieson, Century 21 (850 pounds); the Tim Horton's Hockey for beginners Timbits Program (247 pounds); Cementation Canada (921 pounds); Staff at TD Canada Trust on Laurentian Ave. (471 pounds); Dawstar Freelancing & Video Production (375 pounds); boxes of food at local arenas (286 pounds) Ontera North Bay (385 pounds); Hampton Inn (847 pounds); Skaters Edge (1263 pounds); Don and Diane Wallace (300 pounds); 161 Lindsay St. Condo Corporation (403 pounds) Bob and Darla Esch of The Green Store (450 pounds).
Coach4Food, whereby Hedican puts local hockey and ringette teams through a series of European professional and NHL skill drills, was inspired by rock star Bruce Springsteen's work with food banks in Canada and the United States. The practices will continue until Dec. 23 when the grand total will be announced. Last year was a record year for Hedican's fundraiser, bringing in 76,319 pounds of food and monetary donations.
