2x Olympian Laura Stacey’s “LS7 Sticks In for Charity” event raises funds for KidSport Ontario to help give kids access to sport

TORONTO (June 22, 2023) – LS7 Sticks in for Charity, created by 2X Olympian Laura Stacey, is an annual road hockey tournament held in the Etobicoke neighbourhood where the Stacey Family resides. This event raises funds through sport participation in a unique road hockey tournament format, where individual sticks of all ages are drawn the morning of the event, and participants play alongside a number of Stacey’s teammates, other Women’s Hockey National Team Players, Paralympians, and lacrosse and swimming athletes, who serve as Captains for each team.

This year’s event takes place this Saturday, June 24, 2023 from 9am-4pm at 39 Kingsgrove Blvd. in Etobicoke (Bloor St. W. and Royal York area) – further details at www.laurastacey7.ca 

LS7’s mission from the very beginning has always been to help kids find their passion in sport, and to have fun and stay active. In order to support this mission, LS7 has chosen to donate all proceeds to KidSport Ontario as its charitable recipient for the second year in a row. Cost keeps 1 in 3 Canadian kids out of organized sport and KidSport provides grants to help cover sport registration and equipment costs to ensure that no kid is ever left watching from the sidelines. 

“The LS7 Sticks In For Charity tournament brings sport back to what matters - community, teamwork, and fun,” said Sara Restani, Program Manager at KidSport Ontario.

“This is what KidSport wants all kids to experience, but too often financial barriers are keeping them on the sidelines. We continue to be grateful to Laura for including us in her tournament, allowing us to make sport accessible for so many kids across the province.”

Since starting the tournament four years ago, LS7 has supported getting kids active in a variety of ways, originally through physical activity programs in elementary schools, then pivoted to raising money for a PPE donation to Sick Kid’s Hospital through its #stayinsticksin initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year alone, LS7 has donated over $20,000 to KidSport Ontario and is on track to surpass that this year through its sold-out registration, a silent auction and on-site raffle. With the help of the Stacey Family and many Olympic teammates, colleagues, and professional athletes, LS7 Sticks in for Charity is set to see the 2023 installment of the tournament be the best yet. Silent auction bids are live until 4pm on Sat. June 24, 2023.

“We are really looking forward to the fourth annual LS7 Sticks In For Charity Road Hockey Tournament this Saturday and are excited to be working with KidSport again this year to further amplify our mission of providing all kids with opportunities to play sport!” says Laura Stacey. 

“Whether it is getting out and being active, having fun with your friends or chasing a childhood dream, we want to give as many children the same opportunities that we were fortunate enough to have when we were young. Both Holly (my sister) and I were very fortunate to have parents who provided us with any and every opportunity sport had to offer, but not all kids have that chance. If we could give even one more child the opportunity to play a sport that that they might fall in love with, then we believe the LS7 Sticks in for Charity is a success!” 

- 30 – 

About LS7 – Sticks in for Charity:

LS7 is an initiative started by 2X Olympian women’s hockey player, Laura Stacey, with a mission to provide all kids with opportunities to play sport and stay active. The LS7 Sticks in for Charity Road Hockey Tournament is an annual fundraiser that selects a charity aligned with its mission, and provides a unique opportunity for all ages to get active and have fun through playing hockey outdoors and meeting new people. It’s unlike other tournaments as players will sign-up and register individually, and on the day of the event, sticks will be “pulled” and teams will be made up of players of all different skill sets, abilities and hockey experience. Teams will include professional hockey players, Olympians, adults, and kids. Learn more at www.laurastacey7.ca 

About KidSport:

KidSport is a national not-for-profit organization that provides financial assistance for registration fees to kids aged 18 and under. Through a confidential application process, KidSport provides grants that enable kids to play a season of sport through assistance with sport registration fees and equipment costs. KidSport believes that the power of sport participation promotes the development of children's social, mental, and physical wellbeing. Through increasing access to quality sport programs, KidSport strengthens communities across Canada.

MEDIA CONTACTS: