TYNE VALLEY, P.E.I. — Support continues to pour in for Tyne Valley following the Dec. 29 loss of its community sports centre.
On Monday, Moosehead Breweries announced it will donate one dollar for every case of Moosehead beer sold at all P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission (PE retail outlets from Jan. 20 to Feb. 29, to a maximum donation of $20,000.
“We join the people of Tyne Valley in mourning this heartbreaking loss. The centre was more than a skating rink - it was home to countless community events and provided a real gathering place for people from Tyne Valley and beyond,” said Hubert (Sock) MacDonald, P.E.I. territory manager for Moosehead Breweries.
Adam MacLennan, chairman of the fundraising committee for a new arena in Tyne Valley, said he's pleased with the support Moosehead is providing.
“We can’t thank them enough for doing it.”
Moosehead has been a sponsor of the Tyne Valley Oyster Festival for 34 years and has been a sponsor of the festival’s Rock the Boat Music Fest since its inception in 2014, said Karen Cousins, director of marketing and communications for Moosehead.
How much the community will have to raise to help in the building of a new rink is not yet known, but MacLennan said his committee has set a goal of a million dollars.
“I can tell you this, as being chair of the Oyster Festival and president of Rock the Boat, this is the biggest undertaking and challenge that I have taken on.”
MacLennan said he has full confidence the goal will be achieved.
Moosehead indicated its support is intended to help kickstart Tyne Valley’s public donation drive.
While Moosehead’s donation will be channelled through Tyne Valley Community Sports Centre’s GoFundMe account, Cousins said Moosehead’s campaign will also serve to raise awareness across P.E.I. to Tyne Valley’s fundraising efforts.
“In our own history, Moosehead has experienced devastating fires at our breweries on two occasions,” said Moosehead Breweries president Andrew Oland.
“We understand the impact of these catastrophic events and are proud to lend our support.”
Cousins, who has many relatives in the Tyne Valley area, said she immediately recognized the magnitude of Tyne Valley’s loss when she saw photos of the rink while it was still on fire, and she was struck by how quickly community members rallied.
“A lot of individuals may take time to be sad or not know what to do, but it was instant. Immediately, the community started to move forward and be really positive about it,” she said.
“They’re hard workers; they’re involved in everything. They’re doing a good job and this is what we’re trying to do to help them.”
She is also impressed with the community’s Kraft Hockeyville submission and how other communities are throwing their support behind Tyne Valley.
Cousins praised the PEILCC for allowing Moosehead Breweries to get the campaign underway so quickly and to get signage up in all of its corporate stores.
“You get companies like Moosehead Breweries that are taking this initiative and doing their part and stepping up and assisting us in our fundraising efforts, you never know where things might lead,” MacLennan said.
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