Kayden Knapik and Grayson Flegel facing off for UNICEF.

Assists and goals are common for Cayman’s hockey players but this year, in a first-ever campaign, these hockey players will be assisting other less-fortunate children around the world to achieve their goals. The Cayman Islands Youth Roller Hockey Club is teaming up with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Cayman Kids to raise awareness and funds.

On Halloween, children disguised as ghosts, goblins, superheroes, princesses and, of course, hockey players, will be going door-to-door to collect more than candy. With their signature orange UNICEF boxes around their necks they will be collecting much needed money for vaccines, clean water and improved nutrition for less fortunate children around the world.

This October will mark the 59th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF — in which children are encouraged to make Halloween count by helping other children. Every penny raised goes directly to UNICEF International to support their programs and initiatives.

Raising over $140 million dollars to date, UNICEF brings lifesaving relief to millions of children across the globe. This tradition also offers children the chance to gain a meaningful experience during Halloween festivities, while still having fun. By carrying the orange UNICEF collection box, children can raise money to help other children in need, and, in the process, learn the important role they can play in helping each other.

UNICEF Cayman Kids is in its third year of operation and this year has expanded its reach to the CI Youth Roller Hockey Club. The Club, with over 160 children in the league, will assist UNICEF Cayman by encouraging hockey players to join this wonderful kids-helping-kids charity.

In addition to the trick-or-treat campaign (or even if children are not going trick-or-treating), children may think of other creative means to raise awareness about and funds for UNICEF, for example: bake sales, car washes, lemonade stands, team-to-team challenges, matching contests (eg. for every hockey assist made or goal scored, players can receive matching sponsorships),locating collection canisters at their parents’ offices & businesses,making presentations in their schools about UNICEF.

“As a child, I remember collecting money on Halloween for UNICEF and I’m excited and proud to help continue this tradition in the Cayman Islands,” says Scott Flegel, Director of UNICEF Cayman Kids.

“It is my hope that we can engage children to be global citizens and teach them at a young age the importance of helping others that are less fortunate.”

Flegel is also a volunteer hockey coach and thinks the opportunity to involve the young athletes is a wonderful way to reinforce this kids-helping-kids philosophy.

“Hockey is a wonderful team sport and couldn’t happen without the volunteers. Involving the children in the UNICEF campaign will not only improve their team-building skills but begin to inspire children about the rewards of volunteerism,” he said.

For more than 60 years, UNICEF has been the world’s leading international children’s organisation, working in 150 countries to address the ongoing issues that affect why kids are dying. UNICEF provides lifesaving nutrition, clean water, education, protection and emergency response, saving more young lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world.

While millions of children die every year of preventable causes like dehydration, upper respiratory infections and measles, UNICEF, with the support of partnering organizations and donors alike, has the global experience, resources and reach to give children the best hope of survival.  For more information about UNICEF please visit, www.unicef.org.

The CI Youth Roller Hockey Club is a non-profit group comprised of volunteers, mostly parents who have children in the youth hockey league. The Club’s mission is to develop and promote youth roller hockey in the Cayman Islands, including the opportunity to participate in recreational roller hockey and to provide community-based programmes which allow a player to participate in an environment for fun, physical exercise and fair play.

The Club insists on good sportsmanship, correct and proper behavior on and off the rink, respect for authority and team play among all players, coaches, managers, members and parents associated with the Club.