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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, December 25, 2014 | 62 Oakville Blades hockey players giving back this Christmas season by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor This holiday season, Jackson Bales is still thinking about the Christmas present he received last year. Instead of buying expensive gifts for Jackson and his younger brothers, Colton and Braden, Colin and Cathy Bales chose instead to pay their sons' way to Honduras to do volunteer work in the developing country. Accompanied by Colin, the three siblings helped rebuild a community centre this past summer and spent time in the mountains with underprivileged children. "The kids, especially, had a huge impact on me. They literally have nothing. We brought a couple of soccer balls up there and it meant the world to them," recalled the 17-year-old Jackson, a rookie forward with the Oakville Blades junior A hockey club. "Just seeing how little they have, compared to kids here who have iPhones and iPads. The littlest things would make them light up and just make their day. That was really refreshing and awesome." This month, Bales had an opportunity to Pictured from left, Oakville Blades players Kamil Tkaczuk, Vince Palermo and Jackson Bales volunteered last week at Health Partners International of Canada, sorting medicine that would be shipped to vulnerable people in Honduras. | photo submitted assist the people of Honduras once again. His mother is the manager of donor relations at Health Partners International of Canada, a not-for-profit relief and development organization that delivers health and hope to the world's most vulnerable people, and HPIC needed some assistance in getting a shipment of medication out before Christmas. Bales enlisted Blades teammates Vincent Palermo and Kamil Tkaczuk to volunteer as well. The trio spent a day last week at HPIC's distribution centre in Mississauga, removing medicine from display packaging and making it easier to ship to Honduras. "I knew there were a couple of guys on my team who love helping and giving back, so it was pretty easy to say `Hey guys, can we go in for a day and sort medicine and help people out,'" Bales said. "There was one kid especially (in Honduras) who left a lasting impression on me. We're sorting (acetaminophen) and I thought... `If he gets a headache, this will help him.'" The assistance of the Blades players was vital, according to HPIC senior director of product planning Linda Campbell. "We received a special donation of more than 80 pallets of medicines... It is a wonderful donation of quality medicine, but requires a blast of volunteer effort to prepare for shipment," said Campbell. "Having some of the Oakville Blades boys lend a hand helped us be able to meet our deadline." The container of over-the-counter medicine will be taken by HOPE International Development Agency to Honduras, where it will be distributed to hospitals and clinics throughout rural and isolated communities. "Healthcare facilities -- even government ones -- are often understocked with basic medicines and supplies we have in our own home cabinets here in Canada," said HOPE see Team on p.63 THE GYM Convenient, clean, and friendly. NAUTILUS We're Oakville's best kept secret! Est. 1982 High quality weight training and Nautilus cardio equipment. Experienced and mature personal trainers. Carpeted, air conditioned with ample natural light from large windows. Free indoor parking. Rangers' schedules at the Bell continued from p.61 Day, Time Venue Dec. 28, 5:20 p.m. Sixteen Mile 4 Glen Abbey Green Dec. 29, 11:10 a.m. Dec. 29, 5:40 p.m. Josh Creek Red Minor midget AA Dec. 28, 12:10 p.m. Canlan 4 Dec. 28, 8:10 p.m. Glen Abbey Green Sixteen Mile 1 Dec. 29, 9:15 a.m. Dec. 29, 4:20 p.m. Josh Creek Red Minor midget A (Rangers Blue) Dec. 28, 1:30 p.m. Canlan 2 Dec. 28, 8 p.m. Sixteen Mile 1 Canlan 4 Dec. 29, 12:30 p.m. Dec. 29, 5:35 p.m. Canlan 3 Minor midget A (Rangers White) Dec. 28, 4 p.m. Sixteen Mile 1 Dec. 28, 8:30 p.m. River Oaks B Dec. 29, 12:10 p.m. Canlan 1 Dec. 29, 4:30 p.m. Canlan 4 Opponent Stoney Creek Warriors Hamilton Huskies Red Brampton Marlies Hamilton Huskies Red Hamilton Huskies White Duffield Devils Rideau St. Lawrence Kings Erindale Spitfires Owen Sound Jr. Attack Frisk Asker Tigers Applewood Coyotes Meadowvale Mohawks Welland Tigers Burlington Bulldogs Guelph Gryphons Trial Offer: 3 FREE workouts with a trainer! 11 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville, ON www.thegymnautilus.com 905-844-1610 TO A Game Based LearninG Soccer Player Development InnovatIve technIques to Develop InDIvIDual skIll Brain Based LearninG soccer player Development Both NoW IN oAKVILLE! 905-467-2775 Learn more anD register at POWERED BY aPeXFootYLaB.com XFootYLaB.com Program Director: Dino LoPez