DAUPHIN, MB - With the 2017-18 Manitoba Junior Hockey League season winding down for the Dauphin Kings so is the annual Food For Thought Program for the team.
This is the fourth season the Kings have helped out with the Dauphin Friendship Centre initiative which helps feed well over 600 kids in local schools during the week.
On Wednesday (Feb. 28) the Friendship Centre hosted the Kings for lunch as a thank you for another great season of volunteering in the community.
Every Thursday the Kings get into their regular groups and set out to one of a handful of elementary schools in town.
Barker Elementary School
Smith Jackson Elementary School
Ecole Macneill Elementary School
Henderson Elementary School
Whitmore Elementary School
The Kings help serve hot lunch on Thursday and also spend time talking and hanging out with the young children at each school.
"It's a very important piece of our season" says Kings Director of Marketing & Media Relations Christian Laughland. "Our players realize how important they are to the community and how much kids in town look up to them, so it's absolutely critical that we help out with this great initiative put forward by the Dauphin Friendship Centre. It's hard to believe the 2018-19 season will be our 5th season helping out with the campaign."
There are numerous volunteers that make the initiative a successful one, from in the kitchen to on the front lines serving children at schools.
School visits are also sponsored by A&W in Dauphin, who are on board with the Kings getting out and spending time with the Dauphin youth.
"A&W has pretty much been on board since the start, which is great. They're another one of our many awesome sponsors" added Laughland. "Kids love that one or two times a year when a Kings player hands them a gift certificate for a free kids meal at A&W in town. Their faces light up and it's nice for our guys and A&W to have that sort of impact around the community."
As mentioned above, the 2018-19 season will be the 5th anniversary for the Kings and helping out the Food For Thought Program. The Kings final school visit in 2017-18 happens March 1st.
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