Building Partnerships for Inclusion: Partners in Bringing Play It Forward to Life

This week marked an exciting milestone for the Play It Forward team — our first official planning meeting with community partners and collaborators!

Joining us were Kimberly G. from Carleton Recreation Rentals, Adam J. who is the Manager of Canada’s National Para Ice Hockey Team at Hockey Canada, and Marianne L. from YMCA Philanthropy. Kaia Lyn H. and Deng L. attended on behalf of our student team, though Deng was unable to participate in discussion due to technical difficulties.

The meeting was led by Kaia, who guided everyone through a focused agenda covering event logistics, volunteer recruitment, sponsorships, insurance, and partnership coordination. The conversation was productive and engaging — everyone shared ideas, confirmed responsibilities, and discussed next steps to bring the event to life.

Key Highlights from the Meeting

• Event Logistics: Kimberly, Emily Glossop (Abilities Ottawa), and Kaia will meet early next week to finalize a confirmed event date. Emily was unable to attend this session, so the group agreed to schedule around her availability before booking ice time at Carleton.

• Volunteer Planning: Adam will connect with members of the national para ice hockey team to invite them to participate or volunteer, while Kimberly will reach out to Carleton recreation staff and varsity athletes to recruit additional volunteers.

• Sponsorship & Donations: Adam shared exciting news that Hockey Canada will be providing two team-signed jerseys to include as raffle prizes. Kimberly will explore whether a Carleton varsity team might sponsor the event’s ice time by donating a practice session, which could double as a team-building opportunity. Kaia will continue outreach to larger organizations for sponsorship support.

• Insurance & Paperwork: The team plans to meet with Emily and Kimberly next week to confirm what forms, waivers, and insurance coverage are required before the event. Kaia and Marianne will also connect separately to review raffle bylaws and legal requirements.

• Partnership Coordination: Each representative shared updates from their respective organizations, and it was clear that everyone is aligned and motivated to collaborate.

  
  

The meeting wrapped up with a sense of shared purpose and momentum. Every organization understands its role, and the event is beginning to take shape in a very real way. Communication will continue through email and follow-up meetings next week with Marianne, Kimberly, and Emily to finalize logistics and pre-event paperwork.

This first meeting set a strong foundation for what’s to come — a collaborative, community-driven event that celebrates inclusion, accessibility, and Canada’s para ice hockey athletes. The Play It Forward team is feeling energized and grateful for the incredible support from all our partners as we move one step closer to making this vision a reality.