Defender Ben Harpur talks decision to support health-care workers amid COVID-19 pandemic

For defenseman Ben Harpur, the coronavirus hits close to home. Now he’s looking to give back to the health-care professionals fighting the good fight.

Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman Ben Harpur knows that the COVID-19 pandemic has ushered forth tough times for not only the hockey community, but better yet the world at large.

In a thoughtful message posted to Instagram on Sunday afternoon, the defender — who is currently playing within the Nashville Predators organization, and held previous tenures with both the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs franchises — explained how the coronavirus has hit close to home.

“My Dad,” the 25-year-old wrote, “has been a General Surgeon at the Greater Niagara General Hospital for almost 25 years. Hearing his stories every single day throughout this pandemic of our front line heroes sometimes not having enough supplies to keep themselves safe — is scary. I want to try and do my part to help in any way that I can.”

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As such, Harpur has partnered with Ripshot Distillery to bring relief to health professionals fighting the good fight. The liquor manufacturer — home to a packaging facility in Niagara Falls, Ontario — has recalibrated its focus of late to the production of hand sanitizer during these uncertain times.

FanSided had the pleasure of establishing a dialogue with Harpur about his decision to help support the needs of health workers in light of the current crisis. Our full exchange — which was conducted in the spirit of social distancing, over email — is included below.

FS: What initially got you interested in bringing relief to health professionals amid the COVID-19 pandemic?

BH: I was sent home recently due to the suspended hockey season and have been social distancing and isolating at my parents’ home in Niagara on the Lake. My Father is a Surgeon in Niagara and has been working at the Greater Niagara General Hospital for almost 25 years. Hearing his stories of the healthcare professionals being short on supplies like masks and other protective equipment made me want to try and use my platform in the Niagara region and the hockey community to spread awareness and bring some relief to these people that are working so hard to fight this pandemic and keep our community safe.

FS: How have you personally been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

BH: I have been very fortunate to have been safe and healthy throughout this pandemic. The only thing that has been affected in my life would be my concern for my Dad, and also the hockey season being suspended and being sent home early. While I was looking forward to a playoff run and it was disappointing that the season was cut short, this is a lot bigger than hockey and sports in general. We are all responsible in doing our part to practice social distancing and try and help our health care system by keeping it from being overwhelmed.

FS: What can hockey fans do during this difficult time to stop the spread of the virus?

BH: I think the biggest thing that hockey fans can do during this time is to trust the medical professionals and to do your little part in this big fight. There is a lot of opinions out there, whether it is on social media or you hear it in the news, and unfortunately being at home we are all likely exposed to it even more than usual. Everybody can do their part and practice social distancing, and wash your hands properly and often.

FS: Tell us a little bit about your partnership with Ripshot Distillery to help support the needs of health professionals fighting the coronavirus.

BH: I was contacted the other day by my charity organizer Allan Boynton who also helps run my charity ball hockey tournament in Niagara Falls. We found out that Ripshot had converted their facilities to start producing hand sanitizer and that they had a packaging facility here in Niagara. Since hand sanitizer has become a hard product to find out these days, we thought that it would be a great idea for us to offer some hand sanitizer for sale, and get it out into our community. For every case sold or donated, we are also matching that and donating a case to the Greater Niagara General Hospital and healthcare workers in the Region.

I hope that this fundraiser will help raise awareness, get an important product out into the hands of people in our community, and also provide some relief to our HealthCare Heroes who may be short on supplies during this difficult time.

FanSided thanks Mr. Harpur for both his time and his sense of activism. For more information, click here.

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