WHL Community Collective: Prince George Cougars

The Western Hockey League strives to promote and foster a welcoming environment in communities close to our 22 clubs in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Every team has the creative freedom to allow their players and staff to work with the organizations and groups that they are most passionate about. The end goal is to create and maintain long-lasting relationships and ongoing partnerships within their community.

Through the McSweeney’s WHL Community Collective, we aim to highlight these outstanding initiatives done by each club throughout the season.

Prince George Cougars fans have grown accustomed to seeing star players like Washington Capitals prospect Terik Parascak and Minnesota Wild pick Riley Heidt wheel across the CN Centre ice.

A new winter tradition is ensuring local seniors in need get warm meals as quickly as Joshua Ravensbergen flashes the leather to make a showstopping save.

In 2024-25, the team partnered with Cap-It Prince George to host their second annual Holiday Hamper Food Drive to support the Prince George Council of Seniors’ Meals-on-Wheels program.

For more than two decades, the Meals-on-Wheels program has served up hot lunches for seniors, people living with disabilities, people who are homebound or recovering from surgery across the city.

From November 22nd to December 24, 2024, non-perishable food items, hygiene products, toques and mittens were collected at the CN Centre and around the city before getting loaded up and delivered to the Prince George Council of Seniors.

All told, two truckoads of food were collected, with Matteo Danis, Cooper Michaluk and Rowdy Cat helping deliver the goods.

Thanks to donation drives like this one, the program nearly doubled its daily meal deliveries- going from 40 meals per day to 75 over the holiday season.

“When you look at the the number of food and and items that have been donated, it’s been pretty cool to see the gradual increase from year one to year two,” Cougars Director of Broadcasting, Communications and Public Relations Cole Waldie said. “It’s really just a great relationship with everyone involved with Cap-It and the Council of Seniors. I’m assuming it’s only going to grow with just the just how it’s gone over the past two years- the more the merrier!”

The Cougars believe this is the start of a long tradition in the Northern Capital, and look forward to the third iteration of the food drive in the 2025-26 season.