To help meet the needs of Ehrlo Sport Venture’s ever-growing Dress a Champion program, which provides the Outdoor Hockey League (OHL) participants with full hockey gear, they are hosting a skate drive.

“Skates are important because they’re the foundation of hockey. Without enough, we risk having to turn youth away from the Outdoor Hockey League,” explained Amanda McConnell, Sport Venture manager.

The program is most in need of skates that are sized 5 and up. Amanda believes this is due to the fact that typically around this point, people’s feet stop growing – so they keep their skates until they’re worn out rather than donating.

The program has a goal of collecting 200 pairs of skates by the end of November.

“We also want to be able to provide the community with skates, so if mom or dad want to borrow skates to join their children on the ice, they’ll be able to do so,” Amanda added.

“We hope that if we get 200 pairs, we won’t have to turn anyone away this hockey season.”

Last year, Dress a Champion provided full hockey gear for 396 youth.

Drop off bins are located at all indoor rinks in the city of Regina, the Cooperator’s Centre, and in Pilot Butte, White City, Balgonie, and Milestone. Skates can also be dropped off at the Sport Venture Library, 2730-5^th Avenue in Regina, between 1 and 5 p.m. on weekdays.