Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
The Alberta Pond Hockey Championships in Grimshaw have been cancelled, but organizers are still urging hockey enthusiasts to come together for their Gala Evening.
The Gala will be held at the Mile Zero Regional Multiplex in Grimshaw on March. 9, starting at 7 p.m. Entertainment will include the Steve McQueen Band from Edmonton.
The evening will be, in part, a fundraiser for a vital organization in the community. Last year, the Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention opened a branch in Grimshaw, and its services are already proving to be a much-needed resource in the north.
The centre’s North Peace coordinator Casey Szmata says the Alberta Pond Hockey Championships committee approached them with the offer to use the gala as a way to raise funds for their programming.
“We are hosting the silent auction at the gala and are looking for items or cash donations to assist us,” says Szmata, adding the centre’s services span the entire North Peace area.
“The Resource Centre for Suicide Prevention receives a small percentage of funding from Alberta Health Services, but the rest comes from the community. In order to keep the doors open and services available to whoever requires them, we need to fundraise and be active in our community.”
Szmata is hoping people from around the north, from the Smoky River Region to Manning, will consider donating some items for the silent auction.
The Resource Centre responds to individuals in need from throughout the north, and they’re hoping to raise enough funds to expand some of their programming offered.
“The need for these services is extreme, as we all know that suicide is an epidemic that continues to spread,” says Szmata.
“There are very few people who are not or have not been affected by suicide, whether it’s a family member, friend, or co-worker. We all know someone,” she adds.
The gala will still be hosted even though warm temperatures and drought conditions have put the championships on hold for the year. The committee determined that the ice was not an adequate thickness to be safe for the tournament. They decided to still host the entertaining gala evening, with tickets costing just $10.
“There are typically about 500 people at the gala,” says Szmata.
“It’s a great opportunity for fellowship, to be part of the community, and it makes you feel good to spend time enjoying music.”
The resource centre will also have some information set up to show the programming they offer to people in the region.
To purchase tickets, please visit the Alberta Pond Hockey Championships website at www.albertapondhockey.com, Beyond 2000, or call Dano Laflamme at (780) 618-6666.
If you’re interested in donating an item to the resource centre for the silent auction at the gala, please contact Szmata at northpeace@sp-rc.ca