When Sudbury Wolves Sports & Entertainment (SWSE) launched Play It Forward in February of 2023, team owner Dario Zulich and company made it clear that a large part of the mandate for this group would be to eventually look to steer the proceeds of their 50/50 funds towards greater inclusivity for children from families in need in the realm of sports and physical activity.

While there is no denying the incredible work being done by the likes of the United Way and Inner City Homes, both recipients of the fundraising efforts undertaken at home games of the Sudbury Wolves and Sudbury Five in recent years, there is clearly a highly organic link with the SWSE team and youth in sport in the nickel city.

Along with the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario, the Play It Forward crew has not only formed a partnership that provides a much more direct access to their end goal, but one where the synergies at play open the door to a whole host of incredible opportunities to work together, expanding a tight bond that was previously in place.

“We already had an existing relationship with the YMCA,” stated Play It Forward chaiman, Tim Laderoute, noting the use of their downtown facility for Sudbury Five practices, hockey camps organized together and a handful of other initiatives.

“The YMCA has tremendous resources,” Laderoute added. “With our visibility and their visibility, we think there is nothing but upside to this relationship.”

The launch of this effort, just days before the opening of the Sudbury Wolves 2025-2026 training camp, was introduced at a media gathering Thursday afternoon in front of the Sudbury Community Arena.

For as much as the efforts of the YMCA in overseeing the large pool of volunteers required to handle the sale of 50/50 tickets at each and every home game is seen as a huge help, there is far more to the work that is being done by the long-established local charity which can help support the drive to see many more kids from families in need partake in sport and physical enjoyment in Sudbury.

“The logistics of running the 50/50 are important – but we have reach into the community with families that are “Y” families, as well as with community partners such as Restorative Justice, like Sudbury Manitoulin Children’s Aid Society,” noted YMCA president and CEO Lorrie Turnbull.

“We are already working with those organizations.”

And for as much as the program offering at the “Y” does not often fit nicely within the confines of “organized youth sport”, their emphasis on everything and anything that helps keep children active is evident for one and all to see.

“Supporting children and families in accessing opportunities for sports and physical activity very much aligns with our mandate,” said Turnbull. “We could not help but to think: what if we came together? Could one plus one equal three?”

“Our team brings a lot of energy and excitement, but together, I think we can perform even better than we could separately,” she continued.

Dario Zulich has long maintained that his single overiding motivation in pursuing many of the ventures which he and his team have undertaken is simply to make Sudbury an even better community in which to live.

This new project appears to fit the bill nicely.

“Dario likes to say: a rising tide lifts all boats,” said Laderoute. “The YMCA brings a lot to the table in terms of being long established in Sudbury and having a wonderful network; but we definitely see an opportunity to work together.”

“We can bring our efforts together to help grow our mutual involvement in the community.”

Anyone wishing to volunteer as a 50/50 should visit the following website for information: www.ymcaneo.ca