While the Carleton Ravens are known for making memories on the field of play, members of the Varsity Council hope the Holiday Toy Drive will make a different type of memory for youth in our community. Despite changes to annual fundraising events, the drive collected over $1000 in toys and donations for the community.
For the third straight holiday season, the Community Outreach Sub-Committee of the Varsity Council has organized a successful toy drive. This year, forced to shift the event focus as safety upgrades made a Teddy Bear Toss inside the Ice House impossible the team planned a double-header of community events.
The advisory committee made up of student-athletes in the Carleton committee, worked with staff and members of the community to convert the annual Teddy Bear Toss into a Toy Drive Game on Sunday, December 3. While the varsity council members collected donations and ran a cash canteen on the concourse the women's hockey team went to work on the ice beating the tenth-ranked Montreal 5-1 to wrap up the first half of the 2023 season.
"This campaign means a lot to varsity council as we get to give back to the community who supports us and we get to help bring joy to kids during the holiday season. "Chloé Lachance-Soulard, Ravens women's soccer
"This campaign means a lot to varsity council as we get to give back to the community who supports us and we get to help bring joy to kids during the holiday season. "
The women's hockey team's participation in the events didn't end there. On Thursday afternoon the women returned to the Ice House with members of the Ravens men's football team for an intrasquad game between members of the two teams. In the holiday spirit, even a shootout couldn't decide a winner or a loser as the two teams played to a stalemate.
The two events had one common goal, to ensure young members of the Ottawa community could make happy memories over the holidays. "I am very grateful to everyone who donated and allowed us to have such great success this year," shared Lachance-Soulard. "I believe that it is very important to give back to the community around us and being able to do so in such a big capacity this year is wonderful."
