Though its annual ball hockey tournament is on hold, the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society (BLCS) has still found a way to keep its community spirit rolling.

Normally when spring arrives, the BLCS hosts the tournament to raise funds for a charitable organization. With those plans unable to take place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group put their heads together and figured out another way to give back.

Third-year Neuroscience student Sophia Nelson and her BLCS colleagues decided to keep the community active by creating engaging virtual video resources that discuss and provide instruction on a variety a topics, such as sewing, meditation and even a step-by-step guide to making chocolate chip cookies.

The resources, which include a video Nelson made about hiking in Niagara, appear on the Brock Wellness 2021 Instagram page as well as the BLCS Wellness Videos YouTube page.

While the presentations were produced in addition to their normal coursework and commitments, Nelson said she and the BLCS team were happy to give back.

“People are feeling a bit isolated during the pandemic and they need activities they can do safely to help them feel like they are part of a greater community,” Nelson said. “We are all in this together, and through these videos we can continue to explore new activities in a safe way.”

In addition to the posted videos, the group also connected with Cyber Seniors Niagara to deliver talks in real time online.

Nelson said the video presentations, which each member created based on a topic they were interested in, are a reflection of the BLCS motto to ‘lead the charge.’

“A big part of BLCS is exploring our own individual passions,” she said. “This project allows us to share those passions with the community while we learn more and give back. We hope anyone who is interested will take the time to join in.”

As regulations ease, BLCS plans to bring back the ball hockey tournament next year while continuing to create new video resources.