The Niagara IceDogs are pleased to team up with the Pen Financial Credit Union in support of the 2010 Skates for Kids Program.  The Skates for Kids Program collects gently used skates in order to donate them to schools that would not otherwise be able to host a skating program. 

This is the second year of the Skates for Kids Program and this year's recipient schools are St.Anthony Catholic School in St.Catharines and Ross Public School in Welland. Both St.Anthony and Ross Schools are considered 'high need', with many children and their families living at or below the poverty line.  A great number of these students have never been afforded the luxury of learning to skate, participate in on-ice recreation programs or organized ice sports because they do not own a pair of ice skates.

Yesterday, representatives of Pen Financial Credit Union along with IceDogs players Freddie and Dougie Hamilton and Bones were on hand to officially launch the Skates for Kids Program at both St.Anthony and Ross Schools. Students were quite excited to learn about the program and they have something to look forward to early in the new school year.  Skates will be collected beginning in August and both schools will receive the skates in September.  A special day of skating will be organized for September at the Seymour Hannah Complex for St.Anthony and the Welland Arena for Ross School.

Stay tuned for more details about this program and to find out where you can donate your gently used skates to this worthwhile cause. 

Brianne Whitty

Group Sales and Community Relations Coordinator

Niagara IceDogs