Great assist
Boy raises money to help friend play hockey.
A Glace Bay boy has taken it upon himself this hockey season to ensure someone else can enjoy the excitement of playing hockey this year.
Mitchell Jenkins, 11, from Glace Bay has been playing hockey for six years. This year, during the Glace Bay Minor Hockey Association’s annual 50-50 draw, he decided to take the money he raised to help a friend play in the league for the first time after his father suggested the idea.
“I thought of one of my friends who’s always wanted to play hockey, so when I remembered him, I said my friend’s name and we used the money for him,” said Jenkins, who added that his friend was overwhelmed hearing that he would play in a league for the first time.
“I called him and he was crying on the phone because he was so happy.”
Jenkins said that he and his dad, Wayne Jenkins, took his friend shopping before their first practice to pick out hockey gear for the upcoming season.
“He was really excited and nervous. What he kept saying was ‘I don’t care what kind of gear it is, as long as I get gear,’” he said.
Wayne Jenkins said he was happy to see his young son thinking about others instead
of himself.
“I’m very proud. Most kids at that age don’t know the value of money. He knows he could have gotten an Xbox or a new hockey stick or helmet, but for him to say I have enough and I don’t need anything, let’s do this for someone else — I’m very proud.”
After the gear was picked out and his friend was registered in minor hockey, Jenkins helped his friend — who has
only played hockey about six times — at their first practice in the peewee division. He said although his friend didn’t have experience, he was a quick learner.
“He was kind of funny at the start, but after he got used to skating he got better at the end. He was better at passing and shooting,” he said.
Wayne added that a lot of the money raised by Mitchell wouldn’t have happened without the support of the community and a local convenience store in Glace Bay called Jack’s Place.
“We left our tickets at Jack’s store and they thought it was a great idea as well, and they sell a lot of tickets at that location, so that helped us get our numbers up so we could do this,” he said.
“Because of the high output of tickets sold there we were able to get some money back and do this.”
Another big supporter for Mitchell’s 50-50 ticket sales were contributed by members of the men’s and women’s dart league in Whitney Pier. The tickets were sold by the mother of the boy who was sponsored.
She said that it meant a lot for her son to be playing this year.
“Special thanks to Wayne Jenkins and his son Mitchell for making this happen,” she said. “I don’t know how I could ever say thank you enough —thanks so much.”
Wayne and Mitchell plan to continue to help other children get involved with minor hockey.
“At this point next year — it doesn’t have to be peewee, if it’s atom, novice, tots — if there’s a child who wants to get on the ice and doesn’t have the means, we’re more than happy to help and Mitchell will support another child next year,” said Wayne.