Edmonton Mother Gives Low Income Families a chance at hockey

PUBLICATION

Joshua Deeds
July 27, 2023 (9:42)

SHARE THIS STORY

The R&R Empowerment Society was founded by Tracey Stark in memory of her two sons who tragically lost their lives in 2016. The camp aims to provide children from low-income families with the opportunity to play hockey and learn how to play as a goalie, a position that can often be financially out of reach for many.

Ryder and Radek, Stark's sons, found solace in hockey as a means of building relationships with their peers and escaping their difficult home life.

Donations received at their funeral allowed Stark to establish the R&R Empowerment Society Charity.

Stark enlisted the help of her sons' friend, Nick Melnychuk, to assist in running the camp.

This year, 52 children applied for the camp, but only 24 were able to attend. Despite this, Stark hopes to continue to grow the game and expand the camp in the future.

"Being part of a team and having friends to talk to � just escape what was going on � was huge for them. And I just felt like all kids need that."

After their deaths, she decided to start a society to help other kids find that space for connection and fun.

"At their funeral, so many generous people gave us donations to our family and we wanted to put that towards something to do with hockey," she said.

The camp was held on July 22nd and 23rd, with many excited children eager to learn how to play goalie.

Ten-year-old Easton Porath said he likes being a goalie because he gets more ice time and he likes the high-stakes.

"You're the most relied on, so when you win, you're one of the biggest reasons," he added. "When you lose, you also are one of the biggest reasons.

"But it's also important to have a loss every once in a while to remember that you're not perfect."

The R&R Empowerment Society is a wonderful tribute to Stark's sons and a great way to promote the growth of the game.

As Seen On: edmonton.ctvnews.ca