$500,000 in donated sports gear headed for Fort McMurray

A transport truck crammed full of goalie pads, baseball bats and football helmets is headed north on Highway 63.

Its final destination, Fort McMurray. 

More than $500,000 worth of sports equipment is being donated to the wildfire-ravaged community to help young athletes get back in the game.

The special delivery from Edmonton is the work of Sport Central, a northern Alberta charity dedicated to providing sports equipment to needy children.

It has been collecting the gear since May, when the fire tore through the northern Alberta community.

"We are fulfilling a promise that started with a campaign last May," said executive director Sheldon Oleksyn.

The 52-foot semi trailer, offered free of charge by Rosenau Transport, will arrive Wednesday afternoon.

A temporary distribution centre has been set up for the donated items, but the group hopes to establish a more permanent presence in the community.

"There's always been a plan to set up a mini Sport Central of sorts in Fort McMurray but the fire really kind of heightened that necessity," Oleksyn said. 

'Really heartwarming'

A number of local organizations, including Fort McMurray Minor Hockey, Fort McMurray Minor Baseball and Fort McMurray Minor Football will benefit from the donations.

"There are three main sports that are loaded on here; hockey obviously because the season is upon us, baseball which is sort of coming to an end, but they can use that stuff next year,  and football," Oleksyn said, while loading the trailer at an Edmonton warehouse Tuesday afternoon.

"But Sport Central provides equipment for 13 different sports and we have a smattering of that onboard too."

Oleksyn says their summer-long campaign for Fort McMurray has garnered an overwhelming response.  Along with individual donations from across the country, more than 15 companies help make the special delivery possible.

"It's really heartwarming and awesome to see this type of response," Oleksyn said.

"I'm always astounded by the generosity of Canadians, because we couldn't do any of this without them."