Funds for Humboldt Broncos nears $6M: Corporate Canada pours donations into online campaign for families of bus crash victims
Corporate Canada is rallying behind an online campaign in support of victims’ families after a deadly collision near Humboldt, Sask. killed 15 of the 29 members aboard a bus carrying a local hockey team, rocking the small prairie community.
Donations have poured into GoFundMe campaign “Funds for Humboldt Broncos” in the past few days, which had raked in $5.8 million as of Monday afternoon in support of victims’ families. That support has already far exceeded the $4 million goal set out under the campaign on April 6.
Some of the corporate donors include Canadian Tire Corp., ($50,000) Bell Canada Enterprises ($20,000), Chevrolet Canada ($25,000) and Bauer Hockey ($15,000). National Hockey League teams including the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames and Calgary Hitmen Hockey Club also donated to the cause.
“We are all joined in the need to help the team, the many families impacted and the community as they deal with such a terrible loss,” said Mel Duvall, a spokesperson for Calgary-based Husky Energy Inc., which donated $15,000 to the fund. “Saskatchewan is home to about 1,000 of our employees and this has affected everyone at Husky deeply.
Chevrolet Canada echoed the sentiment.
“Our hearts are broken along with all of Canada over this tragedy and our thoughts are with the families and community of Humboldt at this time in the days, months and years ahead,” Laura Pacey of Chevrolet Canada said in a written response.
Crescent Point Energy Corp., another Calgary-based oil producer with assets located in Saskatchewan, donated $10,000 to Funds for Humboldt Broncos.
The creator of the campaign said on the GoFundMe site that money raised would “go directly to families to help with any expenses incurred.” It also said WestJet Airlines Ltd. would be offering support for bereaved family members travelling to Humboldt, which is home to just under 6,000 people.
Both corporations and individuals heaped support onto the campaign after a collision between a semi truck and Humboldt Bronco’s Junior A hockey team bus left the local community reeling. Condolences for family and community members rolled in from across the country, as well as from international leaders.
Victims aboard the bus included 10 players, the driver, two coaches, a volunteer statistician and a broadcaster. RCMP said the driver of the semi truck was not injured in the collision.
Other corporate donors to the campaign included Sysco Canada, Rogers Communications Inc., Norton Rose Fulbright Canada, E.B. Horsman & Son and Schembri Group of Companies.
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