Sadlon Arena on Bayview Drive may be closed as the Barrie Colts stay off the ice during the COVID-19 health crisis, but some team staff are still assisting the community as best they can.
The Barrie Colts and the Ontario Hockey League have suspended operations for the season in light of COVID-19, but the city's south-end rink isn’t completely empty.
Team owner and president Howie Campbell is using the Horsepower Sports Bar and Grill to get food out to local charities that need it most.
“My wife and I have been here since this morning and we’re on a 15-minute break until the Salvation Army folks show up,” Campbell told BarrieToday. “Lots of work to do, but we’re glad to be able to do it.”
The Colts organization has been cooking, packaging and sending food out since last Wednesday, all while following physical-distancing protocols.
“There are four of us: two cooks and two packing the food to go out. We have a system set up for the people picking up as well,” said Campbell. “We are taking this all very seriously and want it to be as safe for everyone as we can make it.”
Campbell and his crew have been preparing around 800 meals a day for the Salvation Army, the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), the David Busby Centre, and the Barrie Food Bank.
“So far this week, it's been close to 4,000 meals,” he said. “It should be said that the folks we’re getting the food out to are also getting food to other organizations that they work with. It is a big system that is contributing.”
The meals are able to put together due in part to the Barrie Colts Community Fund, which supports various charities in the community.
“Everyone who has bought a 50/50 ticket, a jersey in the raffles, come to our golf tournament, or has contributed in any other way to the fund, here is the result of that,” Campbell said. “This is exactly why we do what we do: to give back where it is needed, and right now it is very needed.”
