A bottle and can drive in Virgil is helping the NOTL Wolves U13 team cover the cost of its only tournament this season and giving families a simple way to support young players.
The team hopes to raise $1,500 to get to the Kinsmen Cup in Dresden, Ont. from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, a trip that includes paying for registration fees, travel and basic team expenses.
Saturday’s drive was the first of two planned efforts, with another set for Jan. 3 at the same location.
Parents and players set up in the Virgil Meridian Credit Union Arena parking lot last Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., where a steady line of cars unloaded cans and bottles in the first hour.
Hockey mom and organizer Jackie Miller said the group wanted a fundraiser that would be easy for residents to contribute to, especially since Niagara-on-the-Lake has no beer store where people can return empties.
“We are not asking anybody for money. This helps keep things out of the recycling, and it helps locals so they do not have to go out of town,” she said.
Miller said the team collected an early estimate of about $400 in bottles and cans within two hours of the first drive. Local businesses have also offered to donate their empties, including the Sandtrap Pub & Grill.
The Wolves are a U13 local league team and this is their only tournament of the season. Coach Brandon Berry said the trip offers a rare chance for players to spend several days together, something that can create memorable moments both on and off the ice.
“They usually bond when they are all together in the hotel. It is really good for the kids,” he said.
The tournament’s registration cost sits in the range of $1,075 to $1,375, depending on division, and the team hopes to cover as much as possible so no player faces extra fees.
While the bottle drive helps pay for the trip, Berry said it also gives the kids a role in earning their place at the tournament. Several players spent the morning running to cars, sorting piles and stacking bags under tents set up to keep the rain off.
Miller has run similar events in past seasons and said they work because residents understand exactly where their contribution goes.
“We appreciate their support in helping us get to the tournament without any extra costs,” said Miller.
The team will return to the same spot on Jan. 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Drivers can pull into the lot and volunteers will unload everything.
