When the Howe Sound Secondary School Sounders football team was stripped of their equipment it looked like the season was over. But local residents and businesses quickly formed a huddle to pitch in enough funds to gear the guys up for their next game Sept. 27.Just days after the team's stock of helmets and shoulder pads, estimated at $8,000, were discovered stolen from an external storage container an impressive number of donors rushed forward to reequip the Sounders.On Tuesday (Sept. 16), coach Rex Reece and an excited group of young men tore through a box containing their new jerseys while sets of shoulder pads and helmets lay scattered around the classroom. "I'm blown away," said Reece. "It's amazing how quickly it happened. All these people coming forward and helping us out is just amazing."Last week, parents and teachers held a meeting to brainstorm fundraising ideas and it wasn't long before the donations started rolling in. Reece was flooded with calls last weekend.Squamish Tugboat Co.'s Chris Tamburri donated $1,000 and lent another $2,000 to make sure his son Trevor's team didn't miss too many games."When I went to the parent meeting I looked around the room and saw a bunch of eager faces there and figured we shouldn't let some crime interrupt their football program," he said. "I'm not surprised by all the support because I know this town stands behind youth programs."Meanwhile, Kal Tire's Art Tichauer pledged to fully outfit a player after he heard the news."I think high school sports and sports for teens is a good thing so for them to lose out on a season - I didn't want to see that happen," he said.A number of others donated as well, including Alta Lake Electric and Arctic Power Systems, John Hunter, Hedberg and Associates Consulting Ltd., Friction Fit Insulation, Coast Valley Contracting Ltd. and various anonymous donors.Team members will have more to play for this season knowing that the community is looking out for them. Quarterback Rory Reece said he was surprised so many people cared."I didn't really expect as many donations as we did. All the players are really thankful that we got so much money for our equipment. We're pretty stoked about that and I'm really looking forward to this year," he said.The Sounders play their first game on the road against Port Alberni on Sept. 27. They play their home opener against Comox's GP Vanier Secondary School on Oct. 4 at Don Ross Secondary School.
