The Kelowna Rockets Alumni Foundation has formed a new partnership focused on helping kids with autism in Kelowna.
The Rockets Alumni Foundation, now a registered charitable organization, has committed to raising $100,000 over the next three years to C.A.N., the Canucks Autism Network, in support of children with autism.
One hundred per cent of the money raised by the Rockets Alumni Foundation, through the Rockets annual Alumni Golf Tournament, will stay in Kelowna and will be benefit local children.
“We’re very excited about this new partnership to help out a very worthy charity and continue to raise money for the community through our Alumni Foundation,” said Kelowna Rockets marketing director Anne-Marie Hamilton.
Money raised by the Rockets Alumni Foundation will allow kids with autism in Kelowna to learn how to skate and how to play hockey. The Canucks Autism Network will provide the Alumni Foundation with the tools, staff and programming expertise to run the program in support, giving children with autism access to recreational programs that are vital to their development both physically and socially.
“I think this partnership with the Canucks Autism Network is going to be great,” said Simon Ferguson, the treasurer of the Rockets Alumni Foundation. “A lot of the alumni are getting to the age where they have kids so to be able to support a cause which directly effects children in this community is important. What the Canucks Autism Network has been doing is pretty invaluable to the families.”
Rockets Alumni based their decision on which charity to support after a tremendous amount of research and collective effort of the Rockets Foundation and its partners Scotiabank and the Kelowna Daily Courier.
“We are very pleased to partner with the Kelowna Rockets Alumni Foundation and looking forward to a successful partnership,” said Katy Harandi, chief executive officer of the Canucks Autism Network. “We are delighted to be the beneficiaries of the Rockets annual charity golf tournament.”
Former players Ferguson along with Ryan Wade, Brett Palin, Tyler Mosienko and Clayton Barthel as well as Anne-Marie Hamilton have been heavily involved in the planning process.
“There are a lot of players from my era that are trying to do more and be more involved and create something that is long lasting,” said Ferguson, who played with the Rockets in 2002-03 as well as ’03-04.
The Rockets Alumni Golf Tournament, scheduled to take place July 16 and 17 at the Harvest Golf Club, has raised over $300,000 for the KGH Foundation and Kelowna General Hospital since its inception.
Now the Rockets Alumni Foundation will be able to control the money raised directly, issuing charitable receipts.
