Northern B.C. Volleyball Club hopes to raise $2K towards tournament costs with bottle and battery drive

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Members of a northern B.C. volleyball team are looking to the public for a helping hand in getting to the national championships in May.

Northern B.C. Volleyball Club (NBCVC) – also known as the Fort St. John Ice – have organized a bottle and battery drive this weekend at Fort St. John’s Totem Mall to offset the costs of sending the squad to Edmonton next month for the 2025 Youth Nationals.

NBCVC U-16 players and 15-year-olds Easton Saccary, Jonah Knighton and Kale Hewitt joined Moose FM’s afternoon show host Chris Walker on Thursday, April 3rd to talk about it.

A trip to Edmonton for a tournament of the magnitude of the Youth Nationals is a costly voyage, especially with chaperones, coaches and nine members of the team.

“[The total cost of going] is going to be around $5,000 to $6,000,” said Knighton, with the players adding they were “excited” about heading to the Alberta capital.

A canopy will be set up at the mall for people to contribute used bottles and heavy-duty vehicle batteries, with a goal to raise $2,000 of the total cost.

In addition, pick-up service will also be provided by volunteering parents picking up donations around the city.

“We’re going to have people picking up bottles from people who aren’t able to drop them off at the mall,” said Saccary.

The drive will take place at Totem Mall in the space near the Shell Gas Station at 8908 96a Street across from the Walmart from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 5th and Sunday, April 6th.

Please contact the team manager at (250) 261-2695 to arrange pick up.  More details about NBCVC’s are available on the team’s Facebook page.