Local charity aims to help kids in low-income families play sports
Hunter and Jason Semenko in front of hockey equipment at kick off to Dave's Drive. Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021 (CTV News Edmonton)
EDMONTON -
A local charity is looking for gently-used sports equipment as part of Dave’s Drive, a fundraiser in honour of the late Edmonton Oiler Dave Semenko.
The program, run by local charity Sports Central, is in its fourth year and provides equipment to kids in low-income families. It’s not just hockey equipment, the gear provided can be for 15 different sports.
“This drive is all about enabling kids to play and nobody did that better than Dave himself, he wanted to help people play the game at their best,” said Sheldon Oleksyn, the executive director of Sports Central.
When Semenko died of Cancer in 2017, Sports Central and the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation came up with Dave’s Drive to honour him.
“(Dave) was an extremely witty guy, he was a gentle giant, he was always respectful to everyone around him,” added Kevin Lowe, one of Semenko’s teammates.
“It’s so fitting that his name will carry on with this wonderful cause, fitting of what Dave meant to us and fitting of what Dave meant to the city.”
Dave’s Drive will run for two weeks. The program is also accepting monetary donations.
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