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Calgary Herald

After detour, NHL players' gear makes it to kids in war-torn Ukrainian city

Article content It took quadruple overtime to arrive, but a batch of kids' hockey gear sent by NHL players has showed up at a Calgary-based charity in a heavily-bombed Ukrainian city. Article content Article content The package of sticks, gloves and jerseys was picked up Tuesday by a grateful Paul Hughes, who operates Helping Ukraine-Grassroots Support (HUGS) in Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city that lies 30 km from Russian troops' positions. Article content Article content A white Team Canada jersey included in the shipment has already been signed by soldiers – both Ukrainian and foreign legion members – who've been fighting Russian forces. Article content Article content 'It's quite a nice little package from these guys,' said Hughes, referring to the National Hockey League Players Association NHLPA) who made the donation. Article content 'It'll expand our program – we can do more (street) hockey.' Article content Among a number of tasks, HUGS operates children's programs ranging from sports to music to art and tech. A facility in Kharkiv catering to those activities was destroyed in a Russian drone attack last February but the charity has since found a new location. Article content Arranging the gift from the NHLPA was begun by Calgary ex-pat Bruce Callow, who has connections with the organization after helping coordinate other hockey donations to his current home in Costa Rica. Article content The idea for the Ukraine donation began a year ago, said Callow, and was originally intended for an orphanage in Lviv the country's west. Article content Article content 'As it turned out, the orphanage didn't have the logistics to receive it, it got held up in a customs warehouse and they shipped it by boat,' he said. Article content '(The NHLPA) people were terrific and really patient…I'm hoping they can get a cease-fire going so the kids can play outside in some kind of peace.' Article content The equipment was diverted to HUGS in Kharkiv in Ukraine's northeast and finally arrived four months after being first shipped, said Hughes, who can often be seen doing aid work clad in Calgary Flames colors. Article content It's a gift that reminds hard-pressed Ukrainians who've endured more than three years of full-on Russian invasion that they haven't been forgotten.