WestJet will donate nearly 700lbs of hockey equipment to Cat Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario. The donation will be made possible by North Star Air, a long-time partner of Mikinakoos.
"We knew the positive impact this could have since sports are an important part of childhood that teach many life skills," said Clifford Comber, Manager, Materials Eastern Canada at WestJet. “We’re in a unique position as an airline to use our resources to distribute goods to communities in need of support.”
Cat Lake is a fly-in-only community, and while Cat Lake has an ice rink and eager players, the community doesn't always have access to equipment. In order to meet this need, the Mikiakoos Children's Fund distributes food, clothing, and other supplies like sports equipment to remote First Nations in northwestern Ontario.
The purpose of this partnership is to support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's call to action 89, which seeks to reduce barriers to sports participation and increase the pursuit of excellence.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Indigenous Sports Equipment Donations
- Increased corporate donations to Indigenous communities for sports equipment and infrastructure, opening up opportunities for more accessible sports participation.
- Fly-in-only Community Support
- Increasing support for fly-in-only communities like Cat Lake, where access to supplies can be difficult, through strategic partnerships and logistical planning.
- Barriers to Sports Participation
- Developing solutions to reduce barriers to sports participation for Indigenous communities, particularly in remote areas, and increasing resources for the pursuit of excellence.
Where This Applies
- Airline Industry
- Opportunity for airlines to use their resources to distribute goods like sports equipment and increase access to remote communities.
- Sports Equipment Industry
- Opportunity to increase corporate and individual donations of sports equipment to Indigenous communities, particularly in remote areas.
- Charitable Organizations
- Opportunity for charities like Mikinakoos Children's Fund to increase their impact through partnerships with corporations and logistical planning for donations to remote communities.
