The Rayside Balfour hockey community is a tight-knit group.
Hundreds of people turn out to each Rayside Balfour Canadians game. For the staff and management, it's like one big family.
So, it comes as no surprise that the Humboldt Broncos tragedy has had a tremendous effect on the team and its extended family.
Julie Dubois, assistant general manager, said she can't put into words how people are feeling at the loss of 16 lives in that fatality.* The entire country and parts of the U.S. are in grieving.
The team travels by bus all over Ontario for its games. Before April 6, Dubois said she never really thought about the dangers of travelling by bus. It was better and safer than the players travelling individually.
That's why the tragedy is very “near and dear to our hearts,” she said. Also adding to the emotional toll is the fact the Humboldt Broncos are the same age bracket as the Canadians.
The Canadians returned from Sault Ste. Marie on Monday after securing victory and a spot in the NOJHL finals. At 2:30 a.m., Dubois was at the arena, not just to congratulate them on their victory, but to greet them on a safe return.
“We always thought this was the safest way for our guys to get around,” Dubois said. “We never could have imagined this would happen, and now it will always be in the back of our minds when the team travels out of town.”
The Canadians have already demonstrated their support for the community of Humboldt. But they aren't stopping there.
On Thursday, the Canadians will join the staff at the Dairy Queen in Chelmsford for a fundraising event in support of the entire community of Humboldt.
Jennifer Mallette, co-owner of Dairy Queen, said she needed to do something to support a community that is more than 2,000 km away.
That need gave way to Blizzards for Broncos, where every cent of every Blizzard sold at the Chelmsford location will go to help support Humboldt.
Word of the event is spreading on social media, and it's starting to gain a lot of attraction, Mallette said.
“I felt like it wasn't an option (to do something to help),” she said. “We are doing this for the kids and the families in Humboldt.”
The Canadians will be at the store starting at noon. Players will wear green ribbons, while staff are encouraged to dress in hockey jerseys or green clothing.
Dairy Queen is located at 3360 Hwy. 144 in Chelmsford.
*When this story was originally published, 15 people had died as a result of the crash. A 16th victim passed away on April 11.
