The Kalix Legacy Foundation is getting set for its big weekend fundraiser June 9 to 10 to give young local athletes in need from the Airdrie area a leg up.
The weekend kicks off with the Kalix Legacy Foundation Charity Golf Classic at the Apple Creek Golf Course, teeing-off at 9 a.m. on June 9.
“Our charity golf classic is the yearly event we hold in order to raise money to support kids,” explained John Langenau, president of the Kalix Legacy Foundation. “We put them through sports and help to pay for equipment every year. It’s our main fundraiser.”
Langenau said participants can expect a fun-filled day of golf and goodwill with the help of some special celebrity guests, including former NHL players Mike Green and Ty Rattie (the latter of whom is an Airdrie minor hockey product) as well as former Calgary Stampeder J.T. Hay.
“There is going to be lots of exciting things going on there,” Langenau said. “We are going to be auctioning off celebrity players, ex-CFL and NHL players, where teams can win the bid and play with them in the golf tournament. We are going to have a silent auction, door prizes, and we are going to be serving our very own Legacy Lager that is brewed right here in Airdrie.”
In addition to the golf classic, the Kalix Legacy Foundation will also be hosting its Charity Hockey Game at the Ron Ebbesen Arena on June 10 at 10:30 a.m.
Airdrie area residents are encouraged to come out to support the local celebrities and professional athletes who are taking part in the tournament. Tickets are just $10, said Langenau, and all the proceeds go to help the Kalix Legacy Foundation’s efforts to support local athletes in need.
“We have a bunch of retired professional players coming out,” he said. “We’ll be having the Rough Necks Drill Crew giving out prizes in the crowd, and Rival Axe Throwing will be in the parking lot with their portable booth. It’s going to be a fun experience to bring the family out to. In between periods, we’re going to have a puck toss where people can win a prize. We are going to have a silent auction there as well, and merch for sale.”
And as if the weekend could not get any busier, the Kalix Legacy Foundation will be capping off the entire series of events with a special fundraiser banquet at the Deerfoot Inn and Casino in Calgary, starting at 6:30 p.m. on June 10.
Langenau said he appreciated all the community support he and his family have received over the past few years since his son Kalix’s tragic death. Kalix was a member of Airdrie’s minor hockey community and an impassioned goalie coach before he was killed in February 2020.
Langenau said he hoped many Airdronians will come out June 9 and 10 to honour the memory of his son and support young local athletes who might not otherwise be able to participate in local sports without the foundation’s help.
“Having the community support has really helped our family, and the members on our board, deal with and manage the pain associated with losing Kalix,” Langenau said. “And it emphasizes who he was to the community, and what he was doing for the community before he was taken from us.
“I believe Kalix is smiling at us right now, and if he were here, he would be jumping right in there to play golf and hockey with everyone else.”
For ticket information on the Kalix Legacy Foundation’s upcoming Charity Golf Classic, Charity Hockey Game and Banquet visit kalixlegacyfoundation.com.
