Sunshine Program making sport accessible

ARNPRIOR – A pair of small business owners with young kids in sports are launching a program meant to bring down the cost of winter sports through an equipment swap.

For anyone with youngsters in minor hockey or ringette, they are well aware of the high costs associated with playing the popular sports.

While the program will be ongoing, on Saturday, Aug. 29, The Sunshine Program will officially launch with a hockey and ringette equipment swap at the Nick Smite Centre (77 James St.) from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Hockey and ringette are two of the most expensive sports to play in the Ottawa Valley with ice rental and registration costs very high. Skates and equipment quickly add up, and with kids growing like weeds, equipment doesn’t last long.

McNab-Braeside’s Brad and Jess Shane, owner-operators of Capital Finishing Construction, are looking to help parents keep costs down with The Sunshine Program, named in honour of good friend and hockey lover, Kinburn’s Andrew ‘Sunny’ Stevenson who passed away last year at the age of 39.

With two young sons in Arnprior minor hockey, the Shanes know only too well the challenge of keeping kids in youth sports.

“When I was a kid, it was very common there would be an equipment exchange when you registered for hockey,” Brad told West Carleton Online while he and his wife Jess sorted through piles of donated equipment in their basement. “With registration moving online, that just doesn’t happen anymore. I spend a lot of time in people’s basements through my business, and there’s always old hockey equipment down there. In honour of our friend (Sunny), we’re trying to help families save a little money.”

Brad and Jess have two sons playing U9 hockey this winter and registration alone costs $1,350 for the pair of them.

“That’s before you buy any gear,” Jess said. “Kids want to play. I think this will make it more accessible.”

The pair just started working on the exchange this fall, but they already see it growing in the future.

“For our first year, we’re going to bumble our way through it,” Brad said. “Our intention is to do two a year. One in fall for winter sports and one in spring for summer sports.”

While the official swap is still roughly a week away, the pair and their connections have been busy collecting.

“we’re sorting through about 15 donations here so far,” Brad said. “I’ve got 10 arranged to pick up. And we’re getting one or two calls a day.”

“We’re working our way through it,” Jess said.

They are making sure the equipment is clean, in good repair and ready to go.

While the big day is Saturday, the Shanes will be accepting donations right up to the swap. Then the day of, The Sunshine Program swap hopes to serve those in need first.

“We’re going to try to open it early, for those who really need it,” Brad said. “Then, essentially, it’s going to be an exchange. Those who can, we hope will leave a donation to help support the program moving forward.”

Attendees are welcome to bring items to the swap the day of as well. This is a free, not-for-profit event, sponsored by Capital Finishing Construction. When the first swap ends, that doesn’t mean your out of luck.

“Just reach out to us, you don’t have to wait for the event,” Jess said.

You can reach the Shanes at the Facebook event page here.