Quaker Canada ventured to what is known as the birthplace of hockey, De虂l谋台ne (pronounced 'day-le-neh'), Northwest Territories, to give The Jerry Vital Memorial Arena kitchen a Quaker Breakfast Bar makeover. A pillar in the town for over 30 years, the arena is more than just a place for hockey - it鈥檚 a hub for De虂l谋台ne First Nations to gather, play sports, drum, dance, sew, and share meals year-round. The renovation aims to enrich this space, fostering collaboration and passion both inside the arena and beyond.
"It鈥檚 been an honour to collaborate with Quaker Canada over the last couple of years on this project. Seeing it come to fruition this August has been a wonderful experience as it means a lot to me and the people in our community,鈥 commented Danny Gaudet, ?ekw鈥檃htide鈥 (chief) of De虂l谋台ne.
Last year, Quaker Canada began the Quaker Breakfast Bar initiative to help hockey communities continue to thrive. The community of Navan, Ontario, received an arena renovation that brought them together and reignited the community's love for the game. Continuing with that commitment in partnership with local government officials, De虂l谋台ne was chosen this year because of the Sahtu Dene, De虂l谋台ne First Nations鈥 unparalleled passion for hockey and community connection.
鈥淭he You鈥檝e Got This platform is about offering Canadians the tools to do and be their best,鈥 said Logan Chambers, senior director of marketing at PepsiCo Foods Canada. 鈥淎s a proud supporter of Canadian hockey communities, we are thrilled to bring this Quaker Breakfast Bar renovation to the community of De虂l谋台ne where not only hockey but the arena itself connect and bring people together. The Quaker Breakfast Bar is our way of energising the community so that everyone can take on the days that matter.鈥
Home to the De虂l谋台ne Braves and De虂l谋台ne Chiefs (also known as the Oldtimers), the local hockey teams, The Jerry Vital Memorial Arena rink also serves as training ground for an annual free hockey camp led by between 1-6 NHL players to inspire the next generation of athletes, some who fly or drive in from neighbouring regions to attend. This coupled with its fly-in only locale, with a population of around 650, strong history with the sport and deep-rooted connection to oats - which are used in local dishes like caribou stew 鈥 made De虂l谋台ne a perfect match for the second year of the Quaker Breakfast Bar campaign.
This August, The Jerry Vital Memorial kitchen was transformed into a fully stocked Quaker Breakfast Bar, featuring a variety of Quaker鈥檚 high-in-protein products, including its newest line of products, Protein+ instant oatmeal. The Quaker Breakfast Bar renovations are a way to give hockey communities high-in protein, delicious-tasting breakfast time and snack options to help them take on the day with confidence.
To showcase the De虂l谋台ne kitchen renovation, Quaker has partnered with Sportsnet to produce a three-minute segment, featuring former NHL hockey player and current Sportsnet news anchor, Colby Armstrong, that will air on the first Hockey Night in Canada of the year on October 12th.