A Canadian junior hockey team has collected some 40,000 bottles of water to bring to residents in Flint, Michigan, U.S.A., where drinking water has been contaminated with lead. The Windsor Spitfires are part of the Ontario Hockey League, as is a team from Flint, so there is common ground there.
Frequent exchanges between Windsor and Michigan
But beyond that, Windsor is just across a bridge from the state of Michigan and residents of each side of the border often cross to the other side to shop, go to hockey games, or just visit.
Fans were asked to bring sealed water bottles to a Spitfire game on Thursday and even provided curbside collection. The collection continues until Saturday, after which the water will be transported 112 km to Flint for distribution to those who need it.
The mayor of the Canadian city of Hamilton has also written to the Flint administration to offer help and ask what is needed. The two are sister cities and have frequent athletic exchanges.
Lead is especially harmful to children
Flint’s drinking water was contaminated when, as a cost-cutting measure, the city decided to draw water from a different source in 2014. The water from the Flint River proved to be more corrosive and leached lead out of pipes.
Lead is harmful especially to small children in whom it can cause serious health and developmental problems.
–with files from Canadian Press and CBC.
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