My name is Ethan Kowatsch and I’m in Grade 9 at Lorne Park Secondary School. I’m also a hockey player for the Toronto Titans. Four years ago, while I was watching the NHL awards, Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens goaltender) won the Hart Trophy. In his acceptance speech, he talked about how his community in Anaheim Lake, BC was remote and how hard it was to get hockey equipment. Because of this, he decided to donate back to his community. This inspired me to want to do the same thing but in Northern Ontario. For the past 4-plus years I have been collecting donations for a community called Fort Albany in Northern Ontario – it’s only access is by plane or ice road in the winter.

This year, I would love to collect and donate again to this community! I would love to collect any form of hockey equipment, used or new, doesn’t matter. To help me get the equipment to this community I got the help of a former Toronto Maple Leafs goalie and retired OPP officer named Paul Harrison. He will help us get the equipment to the kids in the northern community who want to play hockey but may not have an opportunity without the donated equipment.

Last year we collected nearly 100 bags of equipment, 10 full sets of goalie equipment and over 75 sticks. I’d love to beat that this year!

We will take any equipment that you have to donate (skates, shoulder pads, jerseys, helmets, sticks, goalie pads, jocks, neck guards…literally any equipment that is in good working order) – please collect the equipment by Thanksgiving in October and we’ll help pick up if needed – just let us know.

Feel free to pass this message along to anyone else in the hockey community that would like to donate – share it with your hockey team or any friends with hockey equipment to donate.

Thank you in advance for your donation and help!

-Ethan Kowatsch

Donations can be dropped off at any Toronto Titans practice on Tuesday’s from 5:30-7:30 pm at Scotiabank Pond or on Thursday’s from 8:30-9:30 pm at Chesswood Arena throughout the month of September and October (until Oct 18). Please contact Tristan or Ken at hockeyequipmentdonations@gmail.com to arrange alternative options for pick up or delivery.