Fort Hope
Sports Equipment Drive


Eabametoong is also known as Fort Hope or Eabamet Lake near the Kenora District in Ontario.
The residents are Ojibwe First Nations. The kids in Eabametoong love to play sports. But some sports, like baseball and hockey, need a lot of equipment.
How do we foster the love of sports and sportsmanship in children even in remote places in Canada?
When the citizens of Eabametoong talked to the Rotary IPPC, the IPPC listened. It wasn't just a matter of getting together the gloves and balls and bats for baseball.
It wasn't enough to just collect hockey sticks and masks.
Rotary IPPC connected with the Vice Principal Phil and Principal Bob of the John C. Yesno School. Their goal was to create outdoor activities to keep the students busy and to create events where the grandparents and parents would come to watch the children participate.
After getting the approval of Chief and Council, the Rotary IPPC needed to arrange the shipping. And just as important, we wanted to make sure someone from Eabametoong could get the supplies to the community's children.
Rotary IPPC learned how to deliver boxes and boxes of sports equipment to the best local pick-up spot and then how to communicate to the Eabametoong council when and where to pick up the boxes.
After a lot of details, the equipment arrived... and the children could not have been happier!
That is why we do all this - to make a difference in the lives of families... and for the love of the game!


This little guy was patiently waiting for the hockey skates in his size which arrived with the third shipment. He never skated before but taught himself with a chair in front of him how to skate. Phil told us this guy was on the ice every day from dusk to dawn enjoying himself and practising.
From Phil, Vice Principal:
"I've just finished building a full-sized outdoor rink! The first one they've had in many years.
It was hundreds of hours and 16000 lbs of wood to create!
After a lot of details, the equipment arrived... and the children could not have been happier! "
That is why we do all this - to make a difference in the lives of families... and for the love of the game!