There’s so much to say. There’s so much going on, I don’t have enough finger strength to type it all at once. Before I get into all of that, I want to tell you about the cost of goods here. Things are usually cheaper in India than they are in the US, Canada, and throughout Europe. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with hockey equipment. While Ladakhis make less money than most Indians, which is typically less in overall income than the average American, the limited amount of hockey equipment in Ladakh is selling for anywhere between 2-10 times the price in North America.
I’ve now heard from multiple sources that hockey pucks, which are in scarce supply, cost between $5-10 PER PUCK! That’s ridiculous. Nobody can afford that if they are using the pucks as intended. Factor in a rink that is sitting on a pond with holes in it, and irrigation streams running out of it, and a lack of boards, and you can lose way more pucks than a team playing in an arena.
This is the hockey side of how The Hockey Foundation is trying to help. It’s not sustainable for pucks to be so expensive, it’s also not sustainable for pucks to be free, but until we can work to get a more competitive market in Ladakh, with more supply to drive down costs, we are looking to help ease the burden and let Ladakhis enjoy hockey and their lives. People shouldn’t have to sacrifice for a hockey puck.
If you agree, please donate to The Hockey Foundation. This will allow us to get pucks over here…if not this Winter, then definitely next Winter. If you want to help twice as much, you can donate & ship pucks to India, so we can get them onto the sticks as soon as possible.
One of the mottos of The Hockey Foundation is “sharing happiness & changing lives, one puck at a time.” That phrase is more relevant than ever.
Other accessories needed: laces, tape, sharpening stones/tools.
To get more details on shipping equipment to us while we’re in India, please fill out the form below…