Toronto, Ontario -- A group of Edmonton-area collision facilities have teamed up with the Edmonton Oil Kings, a Canadian junior ice hockey team, to support families struggling with the rising costs of back-to-school season.
Over the course of two days in early September, staff from the CARSTAR Johnny K Group and the Oil Kings visited eight local schools to deliver 131 backpacks filled with school supplies. The donations were aimed at helping students from low-income families start the school year on more equal footing.
The backpacks were handed out at Jan Reimer, Monsignor Fee Otterson, Frère Antoine, Waverley, King Edward Academy, McKernan, King Edward Elementary and Holyrood schools in Edmonton. In addition to the school supplies, each family also received four tickets to the upcoming Oil Kings game on October 15 — part of a "CARSTAR and Oil Kings Game Day" community event.
One school staff member expressed appreciation in a statement, saying the donation would go to students “that may be experiencing financial struggles or might never have the opportunity to go to a hockey game at Rogers.”
The effort was organized by the CARSTAR Johnny K Group, which includes seven CARSTAR collision repair locations owned by Johnny Kloeckes. The initiative is part of a broader push by the company and its partners to support local communities.
“Partnering with the Edmonton Oil Kings to provide backpacks filled with school supplies is our way of helping kids get off to a strong start this school year,” Kloeckes said.
The backpack giveaway is one of several charitable efforts the CARSTAR brand has supported in recent years, both locally and nationally.
The October 15 game will serve as a public celebration of the initiative, with families encouraged to attend.
