MONTREAL - Learning to play hockey on the Bell Centre ice: what could be better?
This past April, the Canadiens announced the launch of the Together To Play program, whose goals are to take advantage of the circular economy with an equipment drive that ran in May and June. The equipment – used skates, sticks, and jerseys – was refurbished during the summer so that it could be given to kids from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Then, on November 4, kids from Sun Youth were invited to the Bell Centre to receive their new gear along with their families.
They got to meet former Hab Francis Bouillon, the bubbly Kevin Raphaël, and the Canadiens’ furry mascot, Youppi!, joining them on the Habs’ home ice to try out their sticks and skates, and also brand-new helmets which were generously donated by Warrior.
The kids were wide-eyed as they looked around at the stands, the players’ bench, and the Bell Centre’s immensity during their skating session, which surely ranks as among the most memorable they’ve had.
Of course, a visit to the Canadiens’ locker room was also on the agenda. There’s nothing like that to get new or longtime fans alike to start dreaming of one day wearing bleu-blanc-rouge.