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CORAL HARBOUR
Coral Harbour hockey players are excited to get into some new gear for this year's season, and the community looks to be getting a lion's share of the goods.

Natalie Babcock and Kyle Wood stand with some of the hockey gear they've collected in Picton, Ont., to send to Coral Harbour this fall. - photo courtesy of Kyle Wood

Kyle Wood and Natalie Babcock, with the help of Noel Kaludjak, have been sending used gear to the community from Ontario each year since 2010, shipped for free by First Air. Their non-profit volunteer group is titled the Nunavut Hockey Equipment Drive.

"This year's been by far the most we've received in all the years," said Wood, adding that in addition to Picton, Ont., where he and Babcock currently live, the community of Wawa, Ont., has also contributed gear, largely with the help of the Dereski family and the United Church.

In addition, this year the NHL Players' Association is adding five brand new sets of gear to the mix through its Goals and Dreams program.

Kaludjak said the gear is definitely welcome in Coral.

"It's a big hockey town. A lot of kids love hockey, but it's very expensive to get hockey gear up here," Kaludjak said.

The 30 to 40 kids playing hockey have been on his case about the new equipment.

"They've been asking me when they'll be getting used hockey gear for the new season because a lot of them, they outgrow the equipment."

Wood lived in Coral Harbour in 2008 and 2009 as a conservation officer with his partner, Babcock, and bonded with the community over a shared love for hockey.

"It was kind of interesting," Wood said. "I moved there in July and being from out of Nunavut and working for the government in the capacity that I was in, it took a while for a lot of the community members to warm up to me.

"When hockey season came around, and I play hockey, it was a completely different community - people were always nice to me but from that point on there was always a mutual passion or hobby, I guess."

He returned in May 2011 for a trip to drop off some gear, and went door-to-door with some of it to personally deliver it to the kids.

"It was a highlight for sure," Wood said.

A statement from the NHLPA Goals and Dreams fund stated the group is happy to be backing the Nunavut Hockey Equipment Drive.

"Members are proud to invest in this program because of your commitment to helping children participate in the great sport of hockey," the association stated.

The NHLPA launched the Goals and Dreams fund in 1999 as a way to give back to the sport, according to a press release issued by the Nunavut Hockey Equipment Drive. Since then, it has contributed more than $20 million to grassroots hockey programs around the world.

Wood said he expects the used gear he's collected will arrive in the community around mid-September, but is waiting to receive information on when the NHLPA equipment will arrive. Kaludjak said the season normally begins around October.

Wood said the organization has a lot of equipment and is looking to send gear to other communities. Those wishing to ask about receiving equipment can contact members of the Nunavut Hockey Equipment Drive. Contact information is available on its Helping Kids Play Hockey website.

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