By Michelle Forbes

In the wake of the tragic accident that killed 15, and wounded 14 others, on a bus headed to a hockey playoff game, the country, and the world, has rallied around the small Saskatchewan town of Humboldt.

Hockey sticks on porches have been seen across the country, and around the world, from places as diverse as The Hockey Hall of Fame and Canadian troops barracks of Afghanistan, to first responders, businesses, and families around the world, in a show of solidarity with those in Humboldt. But everyone wants to reach out a little bit more, and show their support a little bit more.

As people continue to embrace the #putyoursticksout movement, another trend to show support is getting set to sweep the world, in an initiative started in Langley, by a group of self professed hockey moms.

They have declared Thursday, April 12, Jersey Day, and are inviting everyone who wants to show their support to wear a jersey to school, work, or wherever they may spend the day, to show support to the families of Humboldt, from other hockey families in Canada.

The movement has begun to spread, as the story has been covered in North America and world wide, and the Facebook Page organizing this day has garnered international interest. Organizers are also hoping to organize a fundraiser as well, to help send some financial support to those affected by the tragedy.

In Cranbrook, Colin Adams (@Colin_Adams250) tweeted, “This tragedy really hit me hard. Growing up playing many sports, your team becomes your family.” He offered to donate $1 for every retweet, expecting about 100 retweets.  After receiving over 14,000 retweets and 800,000 views on his tweet, he pledged to donate $5,000 to the Humboldt families, while thanking everyone who helped raise awareness through the tweet.

Eric Forbes, a former hockey trainer with the Calgary Junior Hockey Division, now lives in Kimberley, and remembers joining the hockey teams he worked with on long bus rides for road trips.

“Taking the bus was a rite of passage. We became a family on those long bus trips, being on the bus for so many hours. It was a bonding experience for the boys and everyone who worked with them on the team. We knew the bus driver, and always requested the same one. As the hockey trainer, I was the first medic on scene, and it was always going through my head, what might happen, what supplies I had, who I had with me, who I could get to help me triage, in case of the unimaginable. I remember the trips. We all had our likes, our dislikes, our favourite seats. My office was a seat on the bus. Those road trips made the team bond, and makes junior hockey what it is.”

Here in the Kootenays, like hockey communities across Canada, this tragedy affects everyone. Josh Lockhart, freelance sports reporter for the Kimberley Dynamiters (AKA Nitros), has been following the Dynamiters since 2013, and was there when they came home on the bus to celebrate their KIJHL win. He recounted how the tragedy affected the hockey community here.

“It was everyone’s (family, billet parents, friends, fans) nightmare come true,” he said. “It is very easy to identify similar faces that could have passed on, had that happened to the Dynamiters. It also made celebrating the Nitros winning the KIJHL championship on the same night difficult. It was nice to have joy, but at the same time there was a dark cloud of sadness. (The tragedy) brought the community closer, as about 40-50 family, friends, and fans welcomed the Nitros home from their bus ride the day after. We were there to celebrate, but also grateful that they were safe. Hugs and congratulations were a bit longer as we appreciated what we still had, and what others had lost.”

Tyler Kinnon, a former Dynamiter, wished the Nitros luck, as they play in the Cyclone Taylor Cup in Richmond, and summed up the only way to recover from and make sense of a tragedy such as this: “Today on the 12 hour bus ride, do 15 young men a favour. Tell as many stories as you boys can, have laughs, throw in some hammers and make unforgettable memories, just like myself, 15 young men who aren’t with us today, and every other junior hockey player has done forever.”

So, as we all wear jerseys, put our sticks out, and hug our kids a little tighter at night, with the rest of the nation, we hope the hockey families, first responders, friends, and volunteers affected out in Humboldt and across the nation, know that we are sending love and support from the Kootenays.

Show your support by donating to the Go Fund Me account, tweet your picture of #putyoursticksout and #jerseysforhumboldt.

Facebook event for Jersey Day

Donate to the Broncos here

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