Community Moment | Fabrice Fortin helping keep Chicoutimi kids active
The Chicoutimi Saguenéens made another big move this year to help the youth of their community.
Under the presidency of veterans Jonathan Desrosiers and Fabrice Fortin, the Groupe l’Ami Junior and the Fondation pour l’enfance et la jeunesse (Foundation for children and youth) joined forces to hold a series of activities between February 1 and 11.
Under the theme “An active winter with the Sags”, the people of the region were invited to make donations of sports equipment or monetary contributions to help local youth stay active or practice a sport.
This initiative follows the “A warm winter with the Sags” campaign, which took place in the fall of 2021. Under the leadership of former captain Michaël Pellerin, the objective of that campaign was instead to collect snowsuits on behalf of the same foundation.
“We took everything that people gave us and we passed it on to children in need. People could also make monetary donations on the foundation’s web page,” explained Fabrice Fortin.
This great initiative ended with a day of activities on February 11 at the Patro, in Jonquière. Participants were able to skate with Saguenéens players for a $5 donation that was given to the Fondation pour l’enfance et la jeunesse.
Other activities also included inflatable games, animation, hot chocolate stations, as well as a photo and autograph session with the players. The Saguenéens’ captain said he was happy to be part of this great project.
“I’m someone who has always liked to help people out,” admitted Fortin. “This season, I’m giving it my all, because I wasn’t able to get involved as much last year because I had a big semester at school. That’s why I wanted to put my all into the team’s community projects this year.”
Fabrice Fortin still remembers meeting hockey players and other celebrities from his region during his childhood.
“I was just another guy from here and I remember how much fun it was to meet sports personalities growing up,” says the Saint-Félicien native. “I remember [Olympic speed skater] Marianne St-Gelais came to my school when I was a kid and I thought it was unbelieveable!”
“I promised myself that I would do the same thing when I could,” said the Sags’ number 91. “We are aware that we are the idols of many little boys and girls. I love to go and meet them and talk to them!”
The 19-year-old visited a few elementary schools this season and plans to continue to participate in his team’s many other community projects.
“I do it to see the smile on the faces of the kids I meet. When I go to a school, I can see in their eyes that they are really impressed. It makes me happy to spend time with them.”
The message Fortin seeks to deliver to the younger generation is simple: no one has a perfect path in life.
“Everyone has a story. I try to encourage them not to give up,” he admits. “I give them my example, that of a little guy from Saint-Félicien who has made it this far. It’s not impossible to reach your goals in life, if you put in the effort.”
