Proudly sponsored by Lou Dawgs
As part of the Chevrolet ‘Good Deeds Cup’ competition, the West London Hawks Minor Peewee House League Team (#55) recently partnered with the Alzheimer Society London and Middlesex in a one-of-a-kind intergenerational volunteering experience.
The experience centered around an activity-based social recreation program designed for Alzheimer Society clients with dementia and youth volunteers using games and activities to highlight intergenerational connections. To prepare, the players completed dementia volunteer training and an aging simulation activity. Players were then paired with a client and volunteered in afternoon social recreation programs.
The players also hosted the clients at one of the team’s league games – and at a London Knights game. These events were significant, as the clients of the Alzheimer Society were able to engage in community activities that emphasized a love for hockey in a safe, judgement free, and dementia-friendly environment.
Meanwhile, a season-long fundraising campaign focusing on teamwork, called “Assists for Alzheimer’s,” is also being conducted by the Minor Peewee Hawks, and the campaign collects donations for each assisted goal scored on the ice to support the team’s volunteering commitment off the ice. To date, the players have raised hundreds of dollars. You can see the story on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/CR8B6qd7FLk.
Go Hawks go!
Submitted by Scott McKay, head coach of the West London Hawks Minor Peewee House League Team (#55)
By Scott McKay
