A quick post to social media proved to be the solution for hockey player Kayleigh Churko, who was able to recover her missing goalie equipment after it was blown off her truck during a windy drive home.
Kaleigh Churko was driving home after a hockey practice when her goalie bag, placed in the raised truck bed, was blown out by strong winds. One of the rails of the truck bed was turned the wrong way, which contributed to the mishap.
“When I got home—about an hour and a half later—I realized the bag was gone,” Churko said.
She quickly turned to social media, posting in several groups, including the Estevan and Weyburn “rant and rave” pages, local garage sale sites, and her personal Facebook page.
“I had a ton of people share it, and eventually, the next day, it was found by a couple of people who saw it on the highway,” she said.
Those individuals safely retrieved the bag from the road and contacted Churko through Facebook.
While this was the first time Churko had used social media in this way, she was amazed by how effective it was.
“I’ve seen people have success with it, so I figured it was my only option at that point,” she said.
In addition to posting online, Churko reached out to local RCMP, police, leisure centers, and the Ministry of Highways.
“They were all very helpful, spreading the word and informing their staff,” she said. “But ultimately, it was social media that reunited me with my gear.”
Churko said the experience was heartwarming. Not only did the people who found the bag go out of their way to ensure its recovery, but others helped by tagging her in posts to confirm it was located.
“I’m incredibly grateful—not only to the people who made sure the bag was picked up, avoiding potential accidents on the highway—but also for them taking the time to find me on Facebook and return it,” she said.
She added that replacing goalie equipment would have been an enormous expense.
“I’ve thanked them in person, but I’ll be forever grateful,” Churko said.