Peter Buitendyk accepts a donation from community partner Coastal Community Credit Union in support of the floor hockey program.
Peter Buitendyk, Adult Guardianship and Eligibility Facilitator located in Victoria, has a long history of going above and beyond to champion inclusivity and connection in his community.
Originally inspired by a similar staff-led initiative, in 2019 Peter began a drop-in floor hockey program in Abbotsford with 15 individuals with diverse abilities participating consistently each week. Unfortunately, the program came to a halt due to Covid-19.
When he moved to Victoria in 2023 for a new position with CLBC, Peter decided it was time to pick up his hockey stick again.
Held weekly at the local community centre, Peter’s new drop-in hockey program invites individuals with diverse abilities to join in the fun, supported in part by a recent $3,000 donation in funding from Coastal Community Credit Union. The program is also partially funded by CLBC, the Ministry of Child and Family Development (MCFD), and other community partners.
“This means that we have the freedom to purchase equipment that we need, and we can rent a larger facility to host a tournament in the future and provide refreshments for the participants. The credit union loves the program idea and is invested in this moving forward,” says Peter.
He continues, “I initially started the Abbotsford drop-in because I was so inspired by the Surrey drop-in floor hockey program and seeing how close all the participants were to each other.”
Peter says he is motivated by the relationships he has seen fostered by a love of sport.
Peter with some of the participants of the drop-in floor hockey program in Abbotsford.
“I’ve met many people with diverse abilities who were socially isolated and wanted to have something meaningful to participate in where they could develop positive friendships. I personally love playing floor hockey and have seen how team sports build strong connections,” he says. “The Abbotsford program was amazing and it meant a lot to me to see how the participants had developed positive relationships with each other that continued outside of the hockey.”
The feedback from the players and their supports was so positive that following the unfortunate shut-down, participants constantly contacted Peter hoping to see it start back up again.
So when Peter moved to Victoria and looked to start something similar, he was appreciative of his Integrated Services Manager, Patrice Cormier, who strongly supported and encouraged the program.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Coast Community Credit Union for their generous contribution. I would also like to thank Kirby’s Source for Sports, Play it Again Sports, Canadian Tire, Vic West Community Centre and Kardel Consulting Services Inc. for their support,” says Patrice.
He adds, “I would also like to express my gratitude to CLBC and in particular Charles Partridge, the facilitator in Surrey who got the ball rolling and who continues to support the games in Surrey. Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank Peter for his dedication and initiative to make this happen.”
Peter also personally thanks fellow CLBC staff members who are graciously volunteering their time to the program as well.
If you’re in the Victoria community and would like to help spread the word about this program, check out the poster for the drop-in floor hockey program here.
