Soccer season might be postponed but one team in Kelowna has found a way to unite off the pitch, donating a third of their registration fees to the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank.
“It made sense to everyone and they jumped on board knowing that this could be a long-term situation,” said Lloyd Pendleton, MindSmart United F.C.
Due to social distancing measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, recreational leagues in sports like soccer, volleyball, football and tennis, to name a few, have been put on the bench until things clear up.
“When we saw this opportunity we knew we could do it,” said Dean Warner, with MindSmart United F.C.
“I could have easily refunded the money back but it was so easy for us to fire it over to the food bank and the guys on the team didn’t hesitate.”
The Central Okanagan food bank has seen an increased demand for its services due to widespread layoffs in response to the world pandemic. In two weeks’ time, they saw a 27 per cent increase in booked appointments and helped feed 780 households, including 550 children.
The food bank is in need of non-perishable food items, cash donations and volunteers.
The men’s team is now challenging other rec teams to do the same and donate a portion of their unused fees. Teams can participate by using #TeamUpAgainstCOVID.