The Central York Girls Hockey Association’s peewee team, also known as the Orange Crush, were inspired by high school hockey player Raychel Gillis, who used a defibrillator to save a life at a game she was scorekeeping.
The Orange Crush raised money for a SaveStation, a public-access defibrillator designed to address emergencies in inconvenient places. SaveStation encourages interested parties to crowdfund for a station in their town or building. Fundraising efforts like this, powered by tools like banner printing in prominent places and social media outreach, can bring a community together and help improve urban spaces.
The fundraising effort was successful, and the new station was officially opened in a presentation by Newmarket Mayor John Taylor. The Orange Crush, Gillis and the man she saved were all in attendance. Taylor expressed his gratitude for the efforts:
“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all the members of the CYGHA Orange Crush Hockey team for their commitment to saving lives and for this generous donation that will make Newmarket safer.”
The defibrillator is located in a freestanding tower on Newmarket’s Riverwalk Commons area, and will be available around the clock. It joins indoor devices that are available for public use at locations around the town like the Newmarket Public Library and Art Ferguson Club House.