The United Towns Minor Hockey Association has received a donation of 10 brand new sets of goalie hockey equipment from the NHLPA's Goals & Dreams fund.
This donation is geared towards helping encourage more children to consider playing the goalie position on their teams.
United Towns Minor Hockey Association Vice President Greg Dominaux expressed the excitement surrounding the announcement.
"We were absolutely thrilled when notified that we had been granted this donation by the NHHPA.
"The Goals & Dreams program is a testament to the players in the NHL as they give back to the community and to the kids in our hockey programs that look up to them."
The Association has seen an increase in registration levels in recent years, but was also beginning to see a decline in their number of goalies. As an association members believed they needed to act now to counteract this trend and try to increase the interest level in the goalie position.
One of the barriers identified was the high cost involved with purchasing goalie equipment.
Dominaux noted "With this donation by the NHLPA we are now able to remove the financial burden of these costs from the parents. With a solid foundation upon which to continue to build minor hockey in our area in place, the addition of new goalie equipment for our teams will make it much easier for players, and their parents, to make the decision of whether or not to play in goal."
Chairman of the Goals & Dreams fund Devin Smith commented on the success of the program.
"Over the last 10 years, NHL players have donated more than $17 million to fund and assist grassroots hockey programs around the world. We've sent equipment everywhere from Australia to South Africa, Europe, and North America.
"The biggest obstacle in participating in hockey is the cost of equipment. Our goal is to bridge that gap for less fortunate children."
Based out of the Fortune Arena, the United Towns Minor Hockey Association, also known as the 'United Towns Pirates', serves all the communities on the southern half of the Burin Peninsula.
The association provides a safe and fun hockey program to all children of minor hockey age with approximately 100 players participating every year.
