The True North Youth Foundation (TNYF) is the charitable entity of True North Sports + Entertainment and the Winnipeg Jets. The foundation primarily supports three core self-run programs: Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy (WJHA), Camp Manitou, and Project 11. The foundation was established in October 1996 as the Manitoba Moose Yearling Foundation, which it remained until prior to the 2011-12 hockey season.
Major events that help to fund the TNYF include the Winnipeg Jets Gala Dinner, the annual Winnipeg Jets Skills Competition, the Mike Keane Celebrity Hockey Classic, and the Flatlanders Beer Festival. Since inception, True North's charitable efforts have raised and disbursed nearly $25 million. The contributions of every sponsor, donor, volunteer, employee, and partner resulted in the TNYF’s ability to positively impact more than 70,000 Manitoba youth last year.
Guided by the shared mission, strategy, and values of True North Sports + Entertainment, the TNYF operates under the direction of a committed team of employees in partnership with a dedicated board of directors.
The TNYF recognizes that challenges exist for many families to participate in the great game of hockey. The Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy (WJHA) was created (formerly Lil’ Moose) to provide children with the chance to play hockey while surrounded by their peers and positive role models. Participation barriers have been removed by providing programming staff, equipment, transportation, ice rentals, nutrition, and qualified on-ice instruction to all participants. Program extras include character development curriculum, tutoring, resume and job coaching, exposure to local post-secondary options and career opportunities, as well as field trips and guest speakers.
By providing children with an opportunity to experience the positive benefits of hockey, the foundation believes that students will have increased confidence to pursue their goals on and off the ice. The WJHA helps to encourage academic achievement and increase children's sense of belonging within their school community. WJHA students are shown to academically outperform the rest of their school population, which is an encouraging outcome that demonstrates the impact and value of this program.
With the COVID-19 pandemic making a large impact on programming in 2020 and 2021, the WJHA focused on keeping students engaged and connected. The inability to play hockey for much of the season resulted in hosting Zoom workouts three times a week and offering twice-weekly small group on-ice practices when gathering was permitted. WJHA staff also ramped up their academic support to meet the needs of student athletes this year. The program usually averages 300 hours of tutoring time per month, but over spring 2021 logged upwards of 1,000 and 1,500 virtual and in-person (as restrictions allowed) tutoring hours per month.
Over the years, full-circle benefits have been realized with WJHA students getting summer jobs at Camp Manitou and with TNYF partner organizations whose volunteers work closely with the program. The WJHA was proud to graduate 38 students this year who have journeyed through the program from elementary school. This milestone affirms the program’s long-standing vision of using hockey as a vehicle to help students engage in academics and ultimately graduate.
When weekly hockey programming is running, the program benefits from local businesses and organizations who have partnered with the WJHA to provide many volunteers and hours of service through its Living Philanthropy Program.
Project 11 honours the memory of Rick “Ryp” Rypien, who was a valuable member of the Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Jets, and of the True North family.
Developed in collaboration with a variety of organizations and education and mental health experts, Project 11 is an engaging cross-curricular prevention program targeting Manitoba’s English Language Arts and Physical/Health Education outcomes. Using concepts such as practicing focusing the mind, increasing self-awareness of feelings and strengths, and building positive relationships, the goal of Project 11 is to help students develop positive coping skills to deal with the daily stressors of life while also enhancing their academic performance. Lessons and activities are designed to be easily adapted into teachers’ yearly plans.
The program is available for free to all Manitoba teachers of Grades K to 8 classrooms in both English and French. With increased focus on mental health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, participation grew immensely to include 451 Manitoba schools, 2,585 teachers, and over 64,000 Manitoba students. After beginning a two-year high school program pilot in 2020-21, Project 11 looks forward to making the program available to all grades in 2022-23.
In addition to beginning the senior years pilot, other highlights of the 2020-21 year included P11’s fourth annual Mental Wellness Summit – featuring several sports and celebrity guests sharing positivity and personal stories of mental strength and resiliency in three all-new age-tailored segments for for early, middle and senior years students – and the launch of the all-new Check In Podcast in the fall of 2020 as another way to encourage mental wellness conversations outside of the classroom. Co-hosted by P11’s Director of Educational Programs Suzi Friesen and local singer/songwriter and P11 ambassador Don Amero, each episode focuses on a mental health topic pertinent to P11’s programming and engages special guests in the conversation, including Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose players, local athletes, media personalities, and community members as well as wellness experts and advocates. The podcast is a complement to the senior years curriculum currently in pilot and is a meaningful wellness resource for any teen, parent or young adult.
Camp Manitou is an inclusive and accessible 39-acre four-season camp surrounded by nature and located just five minutes from Winnipeg in Headingley. Creative and innovative programming provides campers with adventure and learning that stimulates physical, social, and emotional growth.
Pandemic restrictions continued to impact programming into the 2020-21 season, but camp was able to proceed with a reduced capacity Spring Break Camp and the outdoor rink was able to accommodate small group WJHA minor hockey sessions as restrictions allowed.
Summer 2021 marked the second year of running reduced capacity day camp with added health and safety measures. After most Manitoba students transitioned to remote learning for the latter part of the 2020-21 school year, it was evident how much the camp experience meant to all 1,200 campers and their families this year.
The TNYF has been operating Camp Manitou since January 2014 and has continued to invest in the grounds and amenities. In 2019, Camp Manitou launched a capital campaign to build on its commitment to the improvement and expansion of camp. Thanks to the generosity of donors over the past two years, camp was able to proceed with key campaign deliverables including the 2.6-acre custom-made lake which was completed this year as part of an 11-acre expansion. A boat house and dock will also be completed in fall 2021. The lake will host its first water activities for campers in summer 2022 but will first be put to use as the home of the first annual Ducky Pond Hockey Classic to be hosted Jan. 13 to 16, 2022. Progress also continued on the development of the mountain bike trails and BMX pump track over the past year. The 11-acre expansion will also be home to a beach volleyball court. The introduction of these new activities, along with the new lodge, the Travis Price Centre which opened in June 2020, will allow Camp Manitou to work toward doubling its day camp capacity to 400 campers per day over the coming years.
The TNYF has explored an ambitious and exciting expansion plan that will build capacity for Camp Manitou and bring new challenges, learning opportunities and fun activities that will continue to empower campers to gain confidence and independence, develop life skills, foster and cultivate friendships, and create lifelong memories. Three key deliverables of the expansion are a new 10,000-square-foot lodge; a 2.6-acre custom-made lake, boathouse and dock; and the development of new activities, including mountain bike trails, a BMX pump track, hiking and cross-country skiing trails, a beach volleyball court, petting zoo, zipline, and high ropes course, that also takes reforestation into account. A capital campaign supporting the expansion will launch in fall 2019.
TNYF.ca/ManitouExpansion
manitoucampaign@tnse.com
The True North Youth Foundation relies on a variety of fundraisers to reinvest into its own community programs as well as into other local non-profit organizations. The TNYF’s four primary fundraisers are:
The Winnipeg Jets Gala Dinner is an unforgettable event for hockey enthusiasts and friends of the True North Youth Foundation. The dinner attracts professionals and corporations from both private and public sectors and includes a silent auction with the chance to win once-in-a-lifetime interactions with Winnipeg Jets players, among other unique prizes. After running a virtual version of the gala in 2020, this year’s gala will take place on Dec. 1, 2021 at Canada Life Centre.
The Mike Keane Celebrity Hockey Classic allows rec hockey players to team up with former NHL greats to play hockey and raise funds for two great Manitoba causes. Proceeds from the event are shared between the True North Youth Foundation and Continuity Care. The event was unfortunately cancelled in 2021, but looks forward to a return March 9 and 10, 2022.
Presented by Manitoba Liquor Marts, the Flatlander’s Beer Festival celebrates the art of beer and provides an opportunity for many different breweries to showcase their products to Manitobans, all in support of the True North Youth Foundation. The 2021 festival took a virtual format that saw Manitoba Liquor Marts selling various beer mixer packs, with virtual tastings available to participants.
A staple at all Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose home games, fans were able to continue buying 50/50 tickets online while watching the 2020-21 season from home. With online 50/50 ticket sales, fans are able to participate in 50/50 draws for both Jets home and away games.
The Ducky Pond Hockey Classic presented by Canada Life will be a new annual fundraiser beginning in 2022. As part of a series of initiatives to honour the late and legendary Jets alumnus Dale Hawerchuk, Camp Manitou will host the four-day tournament on its brand new custom-made lake from Jan. 13 to 16. The tournament provides an opportunity to celebrate the roots of Canadian hockey and the special community that surrounds this great sport – something Hawerchuk would be proud to be associated with. The event is affiliated with the World Pond Hockey Classic and will see the winning team earn a berth in and trip to the Canadian tournament in Plaster Rock, N.B. Funds raised will be in support of the TNYF and Hawerchuk Strong
The Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club participates in a variety of events every year that allow the organization and players to connect with our community. The team is active in the community by visiting schools, local hospitals and health centres, through numerous player and team mascot appearances, and by maintaining an open and interactive relationship with the team's supportive and passionate fan base.
True North’s Community Relations and Promotions Team participated in 148 events last year, including Tim Hortons Camp Day, the Children’s Hospital Teddy Bear Picnic, the Pride Parade, the Brain Tumour Foundation Walk, Canada Day celebrations, the Manitoba Stampede in Morris, Man., and so much more.
In addition to supporting the True North Youth Foundation, True North Sports + Entertainment is proud to contribute to many worthwhile events and causes in our community. Last season more than 600 packages were donated, which included jerseys, autographed memorabilia, team clothing, and specialty merchandise, benefitting more than 550 community groups and organizations. More than in charitable proceeds were donated to a variety of deserving community groups while also raising awareness for their worthwhile causes.
Each year the Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose celebrate their fans at Fan Fest, a free event that gives fans of all ages an opportunity to watch on-ice training sessions and engage in live Q & A sessions with select players, coaches, and management, as well as participate in a number of other activities, win prizes, and get autographs. Last year’s event welcomed more than 5,00 fans to the Bell MTS Iceplex.
Hockey Fights Cancer is a key initiative that the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club continues to support. Founded in 1998 by the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association, the initiative raises money and awareness for cancer research institutions, children’s hospitals, player charities, and local cancer organizations. The 2018 campaign featured in-game fundraising and an online auction that raised $115,000 to support CancerCare Manitoba’s Pediatric Clinical Trials, and contributed to the grand total of $765,000 raised through the Jets’ seven HFC campaigns.
Thanks to the generosity of fans, the 2018 Winnipeg Jets Toy Drive collected 2,900 toys and raised $7,000 in benefit of the Christmas Cheer Board and the families that they support. Presented by SkipTheDishes, the Jets ran their second annual food drive collecting 14,400 kilograms of non-perishable food donations for Winnipeg Harvest at six home games in January and February.
The Winnipeg Jets Skills Competition, presented by Manitoba Hydro, was once again held in support of the True North Youth Foundation and the National Hockey League Players’ Association Goals and Dreams Fund. A crowd of over 12,300 fans, including 433 Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy students, were in attendance to see this year’s new record holders in several head-to-head events.
Jacob Trouba took home the hardest shot event. Nikolaj Ehlers set a new team record as the season’s fastest skater with a lap time of 13.25 seconds, and Bryan Little won the accuracy shooting competition, taking 11.6 seconds to hit all four targets.
Mick E. Moose has always been an important member of the True North Sports + Entertainment family. Arriving in Winnipeg along with the Manitoba Moose in 1997, Mick E. has helped bring energy and excitement to live hockey games and community events all year long.
While Mick E.'s original jersey was retired in 2011 following the final season of the Manitoba Moose, the Winnipeg Jets proudly called him up to the NHL for their inaugural season in 2011-12. Mick E. remains a popular addition to the gameday experience at Bell MTS Place and last year made 150 community appearances at events across the province.
Jets Rewards is the loyalty rewards program of the Winnipeg Jets, available to all Winnipeg Jets Season Seat Holders, Season Seat Share partners and Jets Wait List members. Seat Holders can earn and redeem points for a variety of unique behind-the-scenes, gameday, and VIP experiences, memorabilia, and prizing. Among the exciting redemptions and prizes in 2018-19 were a trip to Finland for the NHL Global Series, the opportunity to “Party in the Plaza” at True North Square as part of a viewing party and live broadcast, as well as annual initiatives and events like the player ticket delivery, Photo on the Ice, and Paint the Rink.
