The Lloydminster Bobcats are trading-in their sticks for shovels, in an effort to lend a hand to local residents living with multiple sclerosis this winter. Until February 28, with the help of The Home Depot Lloydminster, whenever there is significant snowfall overnight, a group of Bobcats players will head to the home of a local resident affected by MS the next morning and clear their sidewalk, along with others in their neighborhood. The ‘Snow Angels’ will come to the aid of a different MS resident’s home each snowfall.“Snow Angels is a great opportunity for our players to give back to the community who continues to show us strong support,” says interim head coach Kyle Tapp. “The MS Society is a great organization with a lot of impact in the Lloydminster area, so we were more than happy to help them out. This program will also help our players to develop and mold their life skills off of the ice.”
“We were extremely touched when the Bobcats organization approached us to be part of this initiative,” says Johanna Green, Executive Director of the Lloydminster Chapter of the MS Society. “The physical impacts of MS can be devastating, and can make things like shoveling snow extremely difficult, if not impossible. The Snow Angels’ visits will be a welcome helping hand to our local members who are most in need,” adds Green.
It will be easy to spot the Snow Angels in action, as players will be wearing their Bobcats jerseys and using red shovels – the MS Society’s symbolic color. The shovels have been generously donated by The Home Depot in Lloydminster.
The Lloydminster Bobcats have a strong history of supporting the MS Society. In addition to being active participants in the annual Lloydminster Enerflex MS Walk, the Bobcats also dedicate a home game each year to spotlighting the fight against MS.
MS is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in Canada. While it is most often diagnosed in young adults aged 15 to 40, it can also affect children as young as two years old. MS is unpredictable, affecting vision, hearing, memory, balance and mobility. The impact is felt by family, friends and by the community. Its effects are physical, emotional, financial, and last a lifetime. There is no cure.
Pictured (from left to right): #23 Kelvin Walz, #12 Josh Cook, #2 Spencer Johnstone (in black), Coach Kyle Tapp, #29 Robin Carlson, and #24 Eric Therrien in front of the home of MS client Marilyn Mark.
MS Society of Canada – Lloydminster Chapter CONTACT:
Johanna Green
Executive Director, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada – Lloydminster Chapter
Phone: (780) 871-0513 Email: johanna.green@mssociety.ca