Wild Rose Hockey Challenge scores for local charities

Wild Rose Report: A column by MP Blake Richards

A summertime game is just the thing to give hockey-loving Canadians their fix while they wait for NHL training camps to open. And for a third year, the Wild Rose Hockey Challenge is happy to help fill the void – all while supporting important charities at work in our area communities.

Once again this year, NHLers will join forces with federal and provincial cabinet ministers, MPs and MLAs for the Wild Rose Hockey Challenge. The fun-filled format sees federal politicians square off against their provincial counterparts, with professional hockey players and NHL alumni bolstering each team.

This year some serious bragging rights are at stake. The federal team won the inaugural game handily in 2009, but last year the MLA team managed to edge the Conservative MPs in a shootout. So the 2011 game will be a tiebreaker. But regardless of who wins this year’s game, the real gains go to regional victims of crime assistance groups in our riding of Wild Rose. In just two years, the game has raised $34,000 for four area VA groups – Airdrie and District Victim Assistance Society, Bow Valley Victim Services Association, Cochrane and Area Victim Services and Chinook Arch Victim Services.

I started this charity game in 2009 as a way to provide needed funding for, and to bring attention to, the good work of these four VA groups, which between them cover all areas of our constituency. These volunteer-driven organizations provide important services to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, who have been victims of crime, disaster and tragedy.

The daily work the victims’ assistance groups do to help our neighbours and friends at the lowest part of their lives is worthy of recognition and support.

Through ticket sales, sponsorships and silent auction sales at the game, we are looking to greatly increase the amount of support the hockey game can provide the VAs this year. We are still welcoming community partners to become sponsors and residents can do their part to support VAs simply by buying their ticket to what is always a fun and exciting charity hockey game.

This year’s game will be held in Cochrane at Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre on Saturday, Aug. 27.

Game details and other information, including how to secure your game ticket in advance, are available online at www.wildrosehockey.com

Check the website often for updated roster information on the NHL players, cabinet ministers and MPs who will be a part of this year’s game.

I hope to see you there!