An organizer of a street hockey tournament honouring Humboldt Broncos players who died in a bus crash is hoping the tournament can have a repeat performance.
Angela Eaves said another Humboldt Strong Memorial Street Hockey Tournament will be held due to popular demand. Last year’s event raised more than $8,000, benefiting the Humboldt Strong Foundation, and this year, she said Canuck Place Children’s Hospice will see proceeds. The tourney goes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the parking lot outside the old Sears at Nanaimo North Town Centre on May 5.
Eaves said Canuck Place was chosen in order to maintain a hockey theme and in researching what the children’s hospice does for families with sick children, thought it was a worthwhile cause.
“Basically they give the families the support as their children battle terminal illness and are battling for their lives … give them a place to be as a family,” said Eaves. “No family wants to have to go through what they did in Humboldt last year and no family should ever have to go through what [Canuck Place] families are going through.”
Eaves said a lot of volunteers will be needed to assist with the event, with 91 spots in total and 21 currently filled as of April 17. Volunteers will get a free T-shirt, she said. High school students can get volunteer credit as well.
“That can be from people running 50/50, people doing scorekeeping, we need refs, and there’s no reffing experience needed, it’s just to keep the games nice and clean,” said Eaves. “We need people who have Foodsafe that can help with the hot dog sales. People to help with the bouncy castles. We need people floating around that can help.”
More than 40 teams took part last year and Eaves said there will be four different divisions: men’s, adult co-ed, 12-16 years and 7-11 years.
Eaves hopes there will be another tournament in 2020.
“This year, we chose Canuck Place as a charity, but if this continues to hopefully be an annual event, then we will re-focus every year on a different charity … We’ll just re-evaluate every year where the money should be directed,” Eaves said.
To sign up as a volunteer, or as a team, contact Eaves at awinkelmans@hotmail.com.
More information can be found by searching Humboldt Strong Memorial Street Hockey on Facebook.
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