Cougars For Kids Night Takes to the Ice, Marking National Child Day

Pete Fisher
12 months ago
• Categories: Community, Upcoming Events

Local families are being encouraged to celebrate children, while cheering on the home team in Cobourg – both on and off the ice.

Five Counties Children’s Centre is teaming up with the Cobourg Cougars hockey team for the first-ever ‘Cougars for Kids’ night on Monday, Nov. 20, at 7 pm at the Cobourg Community Centre. The game coincides – fittingly – with National Child Day, which recognizes Canada’s commitment to upholding the rights of children.

The game will see the Cougars play host to the North York Rangers. It will also see many Five Counties kids and families in the stands cheering on the Cougars, with some of them also taking part in the pre-game ceremonial puck drop and a behind-the-scenes experience with the Cougars.

“The Cobourg Cougars believe in giving back to the community on and off the ice, so we are excited about Cougars for Kids night and the opportunity to spotlight Five Counties and highlight its services and the amazing work it does in the Northumberland community,” says Erika Seggie, Director of Business Operations with the Cobourg Cougars.

Game tickets for Cougars for Kids are now available through the Cobourg Cougars website. For every ticket sold to the Nov. 20 game, the Cougars are generously donating $2 to Five Counties. Kids under the age of 12 accompanied by an adult and wearing a team jersey or Five Counties clothing get into the game for free.

Cougars for Kids will feature:

• Pre-game festivities starting at 6 pm.
• Five Counties staff and volunteers providing information about its programs and services.
• The chance to buy Five Counties T-shirts (cost is $15 per shirt).
• Door prizes available for people who sign up to receive Five Counties’ e-newsletter.
• A Five Counties staff member singing the national anthem.
• A sledge hockey demonstration during the first period intermission.

All funds raised by Five Counties at Cougars for Kids night will go directly to complete the Northumberland Backyard Project at its Cobourg location on Division Street. The project would see a safe, fully-accessible outdoor green space created for treatment, recreation, cultural awareness and outdoor education programs. Work has already begun in the backyard on fencing, drainage and landscaping, and the final push is on to fundraise for the actual play structures and other features. Once completed, the backyard will include a fully accessible playground, sensory play equipment, accessible garden area, gazebo, storage space and track.

“We’re very grateful for the Cobourg Cougars for rolling out the welcome mat and letting Five Counties be part of the home side for the Nov. 20 game on National Child Day,” says Elizabeth Carmichael, Program Manager for Five Counties in Northumberland. “Community events like Cougars for Kids help play a vital role in raising awareness and helping us transform our Northumberland Backyard into a fully accessible space that will benefit our kids, clients and families.”

Five Counties Children’s Centre provides speech, physio and occupational therapies, as well as other kids’ treatment services, in Northumberland, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton. Services are provided through Centre sites, as well as in area schools and other venues in the community. This past year, Five Counties served more than 6,200 children and youth in its region – the highest number of clients in its nearly 50-year history. This included 1,615 children and youth in Northumberland, or roughly one-quarter of its overall caseload.