Disc golf community comes through for Calgary mother and daughter after equipment stolen

What started out as a bad day for a Calgary family turned into a reminder of the strength of community and the kindness of complete strangers.

Last Thursday, Stephanie McLeod's car was stolen from in front of her house.

"On Friday morning, police found the car just a few blocks away, but everything that could be ripped out including pieces of the car and all of our stuff was taken," she said.

Among the stolen items was a backpack full of equipment for disc golf — a sport McLeod plays with her eight-year-old daughter, Tessa.

"She was such a champ she didn't cry through the whole car being stolen and all of that stress. She only cried when she found out her favourite disc was gone! And I was like, 'OK, we're not having this. We're going to get you something.'"

McLeod wrote about the ordeal on Facebook, asking if anyone had a spare disc or two they wouldn't mind parting with.

Bryan Ferrari, an avid disc golfer, saw the post on the Calgary Disc Golf Club page and shared it. And then the disc golf community came through — big time.

"That doesn't really surprise me about the disc golf community. They're just really giving. Everyone has extra discs that they've grown out of," he said.

"All I did was make one comment … and then it blew up from there," he said. "The community took care of the rest."

• Watch McLeod's reaction to the surprise donation in the video above

Ferrari's friend Jon Pease, who helped collect the donated items as they came in, said the call was answered by the disc golf community from Calgary and beyond.

He says several groups and businesses helped out, including Don's Hobby Shop, the Calgary Disc Golf Club, the River Dogs and even groups in Red Deer and as far away as the Okanagan.

"It wasn't surprising at all. Everyone in this community is top level," said Pease. "It was a community effort. It really makes you feel good."

McLeod says she lost about 14 discs and a backpack.

"What we got back was a proper disc golf bag and already, like, 25 discs," she said.

She says she's feeling overwhelmed by the generous response.

"I hoped that we would get enough to be able to get out and play, but what we got, like … this is three times probably what was taken," she said. "It was kind of just what we needed to restore our faith in humanity."