N
umerous local residents, organizations, groups and more have come together in the recent weeks to show their support following the tragic accident involving the Humboldt Broncos bus on April 5th, 2018 near Tisdale, SK that took the lives of 16 people and injured 13 others.
Martensville business Crossfit 3126 hosted their first annual “Bronco Strong” workout of the day, or WOD. The event notification stated that “this is one of those things in life that’s bigger than just a workout.” The business also encouraged people to donate to the Humboldt Broncos crowdfunding page, as owners/operators Reg and Carly LePage have had their own personal experience with how these pages can help during difficult times. “The unimaginable loss is felt by everyone, and will be a day Saskatchewan remembers forever,” the owners said. Prior to the event, a moment of silence was held in honour of those involved in the accident.
On Sunday, April 15th, people of all ages took part in the “Play for Humboldt” weekend, initiated by Saskatoon Sports Tourism. The idea behind this was to have residents from across the province gather to participate in a game of street hockey. In Martensville, groups congregated on the streets to participate in a friendly game of street hockey, with local businesses even stopping by to contribute hot chocolate on the windy, rainy afternoon.
One local resident wanted to provide a chance for people to pay their respects to Humboldt Broncos captain Logan Schatz, who had previously lived in Martensville for 2.5 years and had attended Martensville High School. Melissa Pike-Klisowsky organized a street hockey game for the children in the neighborhood to honour Schatz’s life. “Many of these kids that knew Logan were not able to attend his service and Melissa thought this would be a great way to involve the kids and honour him,” Georjeana Christianson told the Messenger. The puck dropped at 1pm, which is the same time the celebration of life for Schatz began.
In addition to the “Play for Humboldt” weekend, there have been numerous other initiatives to help those reeling from the aftermath of the devastating incident such as #PutYourSticks out, where people placed hockey sticks or other items recognizing other members of the Broncos’ organization that perished as a result of the accident on their porches to show their respect for those involved in the accident. On Thursday, April 12th, people across the world donned a jersey to honour the Broncos organization.
Last week, the funerals for the 16 fallen members of the organization began being held, with thousands attending to pay their respects. Many of the surviving members of the accident suffered severe injuries and one week following the accident, ten people remained in hospital.
Following the accident, a crowdfunding page was established to help the families of those affected cover expenses incurred during this heartbreaking time. Since the page was established on April 6th, over $13.8 million has been raised. The Broncos organization, where the money will be directed, has plans to make an announcement in the near future about their plans to distribute the funds.
