Last April, Canadians united in shock and sorrow when 16 people lost their lives in a tragic collision, including 10 Humboldt Broncos players. In the weeks that followed, our country came together to show support for the victim’s families, team and community.

Local store teams responded immediately following the tragedy by providing food for crisis centre volunteers and flowers, gift cards and care packages for the billet families who provided a ‘home away from home’ for players. Sobeys Inc. also made a $15,000 donation to STARS air ambulance in Saskatchewan to honour the efforts of local first responders and the Humboldt Broncos hockey team. And like our fellow Canadians across the country, Safeway employees showed their support for the Humboldt community by wearing sports jerseys and green ribbons, baking special donuts and cookies, and raising funds in-store.

We also made a promise to stand with the Humboldt Broncos, their families, and the entire community when the team was ready to move ahead. That time came last week ahead of the Humboldt Broncos home opener.

At Elgar Petersen Arena, home of the Humboldt Broncos, we came together again to show our support. Sobeys Inc. announced a $200,000 donation over two years to support the Humboldt Broncos Billet Program. At the event, the Broncos billet families were joined by Jamie Brockman, president of the Humboldt Broncos Board of Directors, Kathleen Keen, Humboldt Broncos’ Billet Co-Ordinator, Northern Saskatchewan District Operator Todd Leibel, Humboldt Sobeys franchisee Dave and Joann Doepker, and Natalina Porpiglia-Dafnis of our Community Investment team.

Each season, the Broncos recruit talented hockey players to play at the junior hockey level. To take advantage of this great opportunity, the players need billet families willing to share their homes. The billet program is an important example of the Humboldt community opening their doors to help nurture and support the young men who begin their journey with the 2018-19 Broncos team, and these funds will go a long way in making that happen. As part of this support, each month one Humboldt Broncos home game will be billed as the Sobeys Family Day Game, where we will provide food samples and giveaways.

Across the country, but especially among Safeway team members in Saskatchewan, we will remain steadfast in our support as the Broncos and Humboldt community continue to heal.