Family Day in Kingston: A Heartwarming Celebration of Community and Resilience

Despite blustery conditions, many families from Kingston, Ont., braved the weather to spend quality time together downtown.

In Market Square, crowds gathered for skating and to soak up the sunshine. Among them were the Hendersons, who traveled from Belleville for the occasion.

“We stayed overnight just to skate and hang out in Kingston,” said Amy Henderson, accompanied by her 13-year-old son, Caleb.

While Caleb and Amy enjoyed the Horizon interactive art exhibit, the rest of the family explored downtown. Caleb emphasized that simple family time was what mattered most.

“Spending time with everybody and enjoying good food is pretty fun,” he remarked.

At the newly-opened Slush Puppie Place down the road, the city organized a Family Day event ahead of the Frontenacs’ game against the Barrie Colts. The festivities included face painting, food, and a pop-up concert by the Kingston Secondary School Jazz Band.

For one local family, this day held particular significance. The Frontenacs paid tribute to Matthew Moorhead, who is battling cancer and raising funds for Kingston General Hospital’s pediatric oncology unit.

“Matthew is the guest of honor today. He signed a one-day contract with the team and is being sponsored by Mason’s Miracles through Mason Vaccari, the goalie. We’re here to celebrate the day, have fun, and raise money for Kingston pediatrics,” said Matthew’s father, Mark.

Matthew expressed his love for hockey, emphasizing that it’s about enjoying the game rather than solely winning.

Family Day holds immense significance for the Mooreheads.

“It means a lot to us, especially with all the challenges we’ve faced. We have a large family, and we love coming together to celebrate and have a great time,” Mark concluded.