Surrey HEROS Hockey for kids receives $150,000 donation from Fraser Grain Terminal
and Fraser Surrey Docks
Companies team up to support non-profit organization to help at-risk youth
(Surrey, BC) –– Youth participating in the local Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) will
celebrate a win today – the opportunity to continue playing hockey and to continue receiving leadership
training and mentoring. Thanks to the generosity of Fraser Grain Terminal and Fraser Surrey Docks, HEROS
will have operational funding for the next three years.
HEROS’ mission is to use ice hockey to teach life-skills and empower at-risk youth. HEROS provides
opportunities for personal growth through sport training, educational development, and scholarships.
Today, Fraser Surrey Docks, Fraser Grain Terminal, and HEROS will host a by invitation only celebratory
event for HEROS participants at Fraser Surrey Docks.
“This donation of $150,000 from Fraser Grain Terminal and Fraser Surrey Docks speaks volumes about their
support for the communities in which they operate,” said Norm Flynn, Executive Director, HEROS.
“Today’s event is a great way to kick off the season with the kids and we are excited that some NHL Alumni
and Harnarayan Singh from Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Edition will be attending.”
HEROS provides free programs to youth of all backgrounds from a grade four level up to post-secondary,
with free programs such as conflict resolution, drug awareness, addiction prevention, first aid training,
financial literacy, hockey coaching, and referee training.
“This funding allows us to focus on what’s important – the kids,” said Kevin Hodgson, Operational Manager,
HEROS. “Our goal is to give them tools to succeed.”
HEROS works closely with Community-School Partnership (C-SP) a department within the Surrey School
district that develops and provides extended learning and enrichment activities beyond school hours.
C-SP provides a continuum of student support between family, school, and the community.
“The HEROS Hockey program helps our district achieve an important objective to support students who
wouldn’t otherwise have access to hockey and who benefit from the structured, fun and positive
environment the program brings to them,” said Rani Gandham, Community Manager, C-SP.
By working to reduce employment barriers and ensuring participants develop professional skills such as
resume writing, interview skills, personal presentation training, and networking or vocational opportunities
like today’s event – HEROS guides its participants to become constructive citizens and future community
leaders.
Since beginning operations in 2016, the Surrey HEROS chapter has worked with more than 40 kids. One of
those participants is 12-year old Evan Burgess.
“HEROS teaches us to be role models for our community, to help others out if they are struggling, to talk
with them and ask how you can help them,” said Burgess.
Suleyman El Hassan, age 12, recently immigrated to Canada from Syria and credits his involvement with
HEROS with helping him settle into a new country. “I was having trouble making friends as I didn’t speak
English. HEROS helped me make friends, it helped me feel Canadian,” said El Hassan.
Vice President of West Coast Operations for Parrish & Heimbecker and Fraser Grain Terminal Project Lead
Casey McCawley is also a co-founder of HEROS. He is encouraging other business and community
members to get involved and to donate.
“Businesses like to see good return on investment and HEROS delivers. HEROS has a proven track record of
providing positive mentorship at a critical age, supporting kids to be involved in their community and stay
in school.”
“We believe that community strength comes from working together, and this event will provide an excellent
avenue to do so,” said Jeff Scott, CEO & President, Fraser Surrey Docks. “HEROS players will receive an ‘up
close’ understanding of our facility and the many jobs our organization provides. This exposure may spark
job interest and encourage career planning.”
“A great success would be to see a kid aspire to be a railroad engineer, a heavy machinery operator, a
logistics manager or the captain of a sea going vessel. It takes only a spark to ignite a dream and these
opportunities exist in the heart of Surrey,” said McCawley.
Additional information about HEROS is available at http://onemillionskates.com/heroshockey/about/
To arrange an interview with a spokesperson, please contact:
Koraleen Jarvis
[email protected]
604.313.1295
About the Companies
Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) is a volunteer-driven charity that uses ice hockey to teach
life-skills and empower marginalized youth. HEROS was founded in Vancouver, Canada in 2000. HEROS
provides free programs to youth of all backgrounds from a grade four level, right up to post-secondary.
HEROS provides opportunities for personal growth through sport training, educational development, and
scholarships. By providing a safe and stable environment for young people to succeed and connect, HEROS
guides its participants to become constructive citizens and future community leaders.
Fraser Grain Terminal Ltd., wholly owned by Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd. (P&H), is proposing to build a new
grain terminal on land adjacent to Fraser Surrey Docks to help Canadian farmers increase efficiency in grain
exports. P&H is a 109-year-old Canadian family-owned and operated agri-business with locations across
Canada. Serving more than 10,000 Canadian farmers, P&H markets grain to over 40 countries.
Fraser Surrey Docks is a marine cargo terminal that has been operating on the Fraser River responsibly,
efficiently and safely since 1929. The terminal has strategically expanded throughout that period to become
the largest multipurpose deep-sea marine terminal on the West Coast of North America. Pacific Rim
Stevedoring was created as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fraser Surrey Docks in 1979 to service the
growing vessel loading and unloading needs of its customers at marine terminals throughout British
Columbia. fsd.bc.ca
Community-Schools Partnership (C-SP) is a department within the Surrey School District that provides
programming, support and resources to disadvantaged or at-risk Surrey students. C-SP works with families,
schools and the community to provide a continuum of support to meet specific student needs. The
department develops and provides extended learning and enrichment activities beyond school hours.
Formed in 1906, the Surrey School District is the largest in B.C., with 72,000 students and 126 Schools. The
district serves the cities of Surrey and White Rock, as well as the rural area of Barnston Island.
