From mowing lawns to providing activities for school kids the Clippers are working to ease the burden of self isolation in Nanaimo. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Dan Marshall

Lending a Hand

Nanaimo Clippers lead BCHL in pioneering several community initiatives

Apr 23, 2020 | 4:22 PM

NANAIMO — The BCHL season ended abruptly for the Clippers in mid March but the organization has continued to stay active in the community.

Recently members of the Clippers office and coaching staff traded in their skates for overalls in an effort to help anyone in need with yard work and mowing lawns.

The first weekend of this new service they had nine appointments with more scheduled into late April.

Tali Campbell, GM of the team, said he got the idea when driving by a property that was starting to look a bit unruly.

With many local Junior hockey fans being of a more advanced age, Campbell thought that yard maintenance could be an area of need.

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“So far it’s been an incredible response. It’s a fun way to give back to our community who gives so much to us.”

While the focus is on seniors and emergency services personnel the Clippers will assist anyone who isn’t able to cope with the maintenance burden right now.

Campbell stressed the Clippers aren’t looking to take away any landscaping jobs but they are willing to help out for as long as people in Nanaimo continue to reach out.

Helping with yard work is just the latest example of what the team is doing to connect with fans in this new era of social distancing.

Over the Easter long weekend, the Clippers had volunteers delivering more than 280 Easter egg packages to kids.

On an ongoing basis the hockey club is engaging with fans through their social media with initiatives called Teaching Tuesdays, Thankful Thursdays and Special Moment Saturdays.

Campbell said Teaching Tuesdays feature a new 16 page workbook each week aimed at Grades 1-7.

“The hope is it keeps our young fans learning and engaging. I know from my perspective back when I was in school and one of the Clippers showed up at my classroom and one of them said his favourite subject was social studies – well that was then my favourite subject too.”

The Thankful Thursdays online campaign is about individually recognizing the team’s many volunteers and Special Moment Saturday’s tell the story of a current or former player via the Clippers website and social media.

BCHL Executive Director Stephen Cocker applauded the Clippers for getting out to support the community so quickly after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down their season.

“Community is a BCHL league pillar and Nanaimo embraces it, Cocker said. “In times like these our teams can give something back and give fans a chance to focus on some more positive things.”

Details on all of the Clippers community initiatives are available on the team’s website and Facebook page.

dan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On twitter: @danmarshall77