Please Help in Contributing to the Humboldt Bronco's Fund

(image sourced from 980 CJME)

Dear Friends, 

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post. 

Words cannot describe the feeling of utter heartbreak and pain that our tight-knit Saskatchewan community feels for all the families affected by the tragic bus accident involving the Humboldt Broncos hockey team that occurred Friday afternoon.

The news of this horrific tragedy came to us in the very early hours of Saturday morning, as we were preparing to travel out of province for the weekend. Weary eyed and half-asleep, my husband read the news as we sat in our bed. 

I heard the words...Nipawin...Hockey Team of Young Players...Many Deceased... 

Against the silence of the early  morning, these words rung in my ears.

 I saw tears forming in the corners of my husbands eyes.  

As our minds tried to put together what all of this meant, we sat still in the silence of the early morning, thinking that this couldn't possibly be. 

As the morning unraveled, and throughout our travels, we listened to the breaking news as more and more information came to light. With every word, our heart broke even more than we possibly thought it could. Thinking about the families, the loved ones, the friends, the hockey community, and the impact of so many lives that would forever be changed.

Everything about this story struck so close to home.

This unthinkable tragedy occurred just outside of the community where both my husband and I grew up, on the very intersection that we take each and every time we head North to our hometown of Nipawin.

My husband's immediate connection to the tragedy brought up his own memories of taking that very same route, many times throughout his three year SJHL career with the Nipawin Hawks, to and from Humboldt, to play against the Broncos. 

And of course, thinking about the deep personal connection that we all have to hockey and to each other, here in this humble, tight-knit province of only about one million Saskatchewanians. Where we all say: if you talk to someone long enough, you'll eventually find out that you do, in fact, know each other, or at least, know the same people.

In a sense, this province is one big family.

It was this very same province and these very same communities that I saw come together over the years, to support their neighbors, such as my very own family, when we arrived in Canada as refugees from the Yugolsav region, following the civil war. I've always felt incredibly privileged and blessed to have been welcomed, supported, and uplifted by one of the loveliest and most caring communities.

And if you have been following this story, you will know that the response of our community and of communities around the world, has been incredible in light of this weekend's horrifying events. 

We have been inspired by the words, thoughts, actions, generosity and utter kindness of the community. From opening their homes, hearts, and anything else they could offer to simply lending a shoulder of support. 

I am posting this here today, because I hope that with your help, we can do something meaningful and offer a helping hand to all of those directly affected. 

I want to use this platform to share this story, and encourage everyone who reads this to help in whatever way they can.

Many of you may know that a Go Fund Me page has been set up on behalf of this tragedy, whereby all funds will be used to help the families directly affected. 

I would like to ask your support in helping us far surpass the $4 million goal, which is currently at $3.94 million as I write these words. 

Aside from donating, my husband and I wanted to step up in some way, and thought the best thing we could do is to spread awareness and ask humbly for your support.

In addition to your thoughts and prayers, and if you are able, there are two ways you can help from afar:

1. Please consider donating to the page directly.

2. I will be designing a set of 2 cards, and sharing them here, with the hope that it will generate more donations and support from communities near and far. 

I'd like to set a goal of $1000 via this blog to donate to the official fund.

To reach this goal, I will be designing a limited edition card, commemorating and honoring the group of young men involved in this tragedy. To receive your own card, please contact me directly via email at 

ivanacamdzicstoicescu@gmail.com

Your donation of $25 will be directly donated to the fund.  Shipping cost is included, and will be a minimal portion of the donations. Donations will be accepted through Paypal and all proceeds from these cards will be directly deposited to the Go Fund Me Page, with credit to all of the readers, visitors and dear friends who participate in and support this fundraising campaign.  

I will be updating this post and sharing the card design here as early as possible - likely as soon as tomorrow a.m.  But you can contact me prior to that if you would like to reserve a set and donate to the fund.

I will be creating the cards, with the help of my husband, this evening as we join via live broadcast, the many who will be attending the vigil,  remembering the lives lost and changed forever.

This is a profound loss and we are all grieving in our own way, but cannot imagine the grief that overcomes those directly impacted by this tragedy.

Please join me in helping these families. I thank you in advance for reading, sharing, and for all of your contributions, thoughts, and prayers.

With Love,

Ivana

#humboldtstrong #prayersforhumboldtbroncos


ETA: Here is a snap of the cards we've been putting together. You can click here to read more about the design of the cards.