Hockey for Food at The Forks

When we played hockey in Winnipeg last year, hockey fever was only just starting. Little did we know that Winnipeg would become one of the most hockey crazed cities in Canada with the return of the Winnipeg Jets. As we head back to Winnipeg for another game of hockey, it was time to get to the heart of the city and set up our game of shinny at The Forks.

As Jets fever has this city hockey mad, it was a scorcher of a day with temperatures over 30 degrees. We’ve played in just about every possible weather this tour and one thing that’s resounded is that no matter what they’re coming out armed with hockey sticks and ready to play hockey for a good cause. With the local London Drugs more excited ever they’d been collecting donations in store and for the second year came out more excited than ever to hit the pavement.

This year we came up with something fun we like to call the Swag-shootout. Or as Vic has coined it, the Swag-out. With lots of prizing on the line the goalies shine, and the dangles dazzle all over the pavement for everything from a chance to win Molson prizes from the lovely Molson gals to signed apparel from the Winnipeg Jets.

While people come out and play hockey for the food bank, there’s a lot of pride on the line. People disregard the crest on their chest because the food bank is the ultimate winner, but just as the Battle of Ontario sees Toronto and Ottawa challenge each other to raise more food the prairie cities fight for bragging rights. Winnipeg always gets first crack at things and they stepped up with a bold effort for the Siloam Mission bringing in over 5,000 lbs of food. As we head to Regina for our game in Roughrider country, the hammer has been dropped for Regina and we’re ever so close to breaking last year’s tour total. Heading into the home stretch we’re racing towards that 100,000 lbs of food and it’s thanks to the incredible Canadians that have come out and supported us along the way that we can all proudly raise our hockey sticks knowing we’re making an impact from coast-to-coast.