North Stars trade skates for shopping carts to back families in crisis

Battlefords North Stars players take part in Safe Families Canada Battlefords annual cart races at Centennial Park on Sept. 27, 2025. The team volunteered to push sponsored carts as part of the fundraiser. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

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Nov 21, 2025

(Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

The SJHL team’s marketing manager Kennedy Schmidt called the cart races another chance to give back.

“We would not exist if we didn’t have the community,” she said, noting that community involvement is the team’s top priority both on and off the ice.

“We thank you for all your support, and we’re out here supporting you the best we can right back.”

Battlefords North Stars captain Anthony Campbell is pictured during the Safe Families Canada Battlefords annual cart races at Centennial Park on Sept. 27, 2025. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

Battlefords North Stars (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

Both the North Stars and the soccer club were invited to step in for businesses and families who sponsored carts but couldn’t make it on race day. In all, there were 35 sponsored carts, 15 team carts, and several community-agency entries — nearly 70 carts supplied by Co-op in total lined up for the event.

Soccer club director Kat Huxley said it was a valuable experience for her athletes.

“It’s part of growing and learning to be just a good person in general and be supportive of great programs within your community,” she said.

“Safe Families is a great program, and I always encourage businesses and community and sport teams to always find partnerships within the community to build and help grow communities in the right direction.”

Battlefords Youth Soccer Club athletes take part in Safe Families Canada Battlefords annual cart races at Centennial Park on Sept. 27, 2025. The team helped push sponsored carts as part of the fundraiser. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

For Safe Families Canada Battlefords, the cart races are about more than the track. Chapter director Jessica Garcia-Driedger said the fundraiser keeps their work alive.

“We exist because people are generous and they give donations,” she said.

In the past year, the chapter has helped seven families, from offering childcare and meals to sitting with clients during chemotherapy.

Garcia-Driedger recalled their longest case — a newcomer and single mother who received six months of support before rebuilding her footing.

“By the time we [helped] her back into the community, she had a new job, she had childcare for her children, she had a community so she felt that she was no longer alone or depressed,” she said.

(Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

Last year’s races raised more than $20,000. This year’s goal was $25,000 to help sustain an $80,000 annual budget. Garcia-Driedger said every dollar matters for them to provide better service.

“It’s always just been like the little things that can become overwhelming when you’re in crisis. That has been the thing that we have come in to do.”

For Campbell, those small acts of generosity mirror what he sees in the rink. Fans show up, cheer loud, and remind the team what they play for.

“Thank you very much for everything they do,” he said.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com

by Kenneth Cheung

North Stars trade skates for shopping carts to back families in crisis

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