Community Came Together at 2020 Equipment Drive

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been a burden to everyone, Denver area residents showed their strength by coming together and donating sporting goods on Sept. 12 at the ninth annual giveSPORTS Equipment Drive, presented by Brannan Companies. The drive, hosted by Kroenke Sports Charities and benefits A Precious Child, collects thousands of pieces of equipment annually and distributes them back to children and families who would otherwise not be able to afford it.
This year, enough gear was donated to fill an entire 53-foot-long semi-truck. Nearly 50 agencies from around Denver will take more than 5,000 pounds of donated sports equipment and use the gear in schools, enrichment programs and other activities. In a time where many are spending extended time at home, access to sports equipment to get kids outside and engaged has never been more necessary. In addition to physical donations, PatchMyPC.com matched monetary contributions and helped raise $19,024 in sports scholarships. Thanks to the generosity of the Colorado community, 12,454 children will have a chance to get in the game.

With all this gear, it was helpful to have some strong hands unloading and sorting on site at Pepsi Center. Colorado Avalanche forward Joonas Donskoi spent the day emptying trunks, carrying boxes and even tried out some of the goods. He was joined by Avs alumni Rick Berry and Kyle Quincey, Avalanche Ice Patrol members and mascot Bernie.
A Precious Child's giveSPORTS program was started by 12-year-old Dustin Martin in 2011. Knowing the powerful impact sports had on his own life, Martin sought to ensure all children, regardless of circumstance, had the opportunity to play sports.
The program's first drive was held in memory of Jessica (Redfield) Ghawi, an aspiring sports journalist and intern for Altitude Sports & Entertainment. She wanted to support children who were victims of Colorado's 2012 wildfires and replace any hockey equipment that they had lost. Jessica was never able to take part in the inaugural drive as she lost her life in the Aurora Theater tragedy months before.

Together, Kroenke Sports Charities and A Precious Child have combined efforts to fulfill both Jessica and Dustin's dreams with nine community-wide equipment drives to help put kids in the game. Since its inception, the giveSPORTS Equipment Drive has collected over 200,000 pieces of sports equipment and more than $100,000 in sports scholarships to benefit more than 49,000 local kids in need.
A Precious Child will continue to accept items. More information can be found at
APreciousChild.org
.