Nine year old Brock Dickson (front) at Mowbray's Canadian Tire in Port Elgin as he presents $425 he raised by asking for donations to Canadian Tire's Jumpstart charity in lieu of birthday presents. (L-R) Regional Manager, Central Ontario, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, Eric Cartlidge; Port Elgin Canadian Tire owners, Mike and Eleanor Mowbray, and Store Manager, Zach Mowbray.

Hub Staff

Nine year old Port Elgin local, Brock Dickson decided to do something different for his birthday this year. Rather than receiving birthday presents he asked that guests to his party on April 9 bring a donation for the Canadian Tire Jumpstart charity, which helps local families who are unable to afford to put their children into sports.

Brock, who plays hockey on the Saugeen Shores Minor Hockey Association's Storm Novice LL1 team, said he wanted other people who can't afford to play sports to have that opportunity. “I just wanted to raise money for them to get to play,” he said.

He first heard about the Jumpstart program from his mother, Alison. “We knew of another little boy who got to play hockey this year because of the program,” she said. “We knew it was a great program to help kids.”

Brock managed to raise $425 at his party, which included a kids versus dads hockey game. “There was just like a big box there and... the money that they brought, they just put it in the box,” he said.

Brock presented the donation for the Jumpstart charity at Port Elgin Canadian Tire store on April 12, in an envelope he himself had decorated with hockey and sports equipment.

Port Elgin Canadian Tire owner, Mike Mowbray said this was the first time locally that someone so young had donated to Jumpstart. “This is pretty special,” he said.

Eleanor Mowbray added, “The Jumpstart chapter was so proud of what you're doing that they're actually going to match your money so you're actually going to be giving $850 to Jumpstart.” Eleanor added that the money will go to help three local children to play sports.

Eric Cartlidge of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities said that Jumpstart funds families who can't afford registration fees and equipment for a variety of sports. “We funded 78 kids last year just to participate in sport from around here,” he said, adding that half of those were to play hockey. “The initiative he's taken at 8/9 years old is fantastic,” said Cartlidge.