The Bay of Fundy chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) will be the main beneficiary of a benefit hockey game set for Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. at the Credit Union Centre in Kingston.
MADD chapter president Byron Butt said the game would feature the Valley Golden Oldies old-timers hockey team playing against a squad of local RCMP members.
“This is the first time for this match-up,” said Butt, a recently-retired RCMP officer who will play in the game for the Golden Oldies. “We’re hoping it can become an annual event.”
Among the special guests for the event, which will begin at 4 p.m., are Kings West MLA and provincial health minister Leo Glavine, also a Golden Oldies member, and MADD Atlantic region president Susan MacAskill of Windsor, who will drop the puck during a ceremonial faceoff.
The event is aimed towards being fun for all ages, with door prizes and a 50/50 draw. Butt said the organizers are working with local minor hockey associations to hopefully hold a Timbits scrimmage between periods.
The proceeds from the game will be targeted to MADD’s victim/survivor services program, which provides support to victims of impaired driving fatalities and their families and friends.
Butt said MADD supports not only those who are directly involved in crashes caused by impaired drivers, but also family members and friends who are trying to cope with the loss or injury of loved ones. Each year, MADD offers its services to 20,000 victims and survivors across Canada.
Jerry Meade, one of the original members, says the Valley Golden Oldies were founded in 1993. The team has had as many as 50 members, and currently has 33-34 members, hailing from the area between Windsor and Digby.
Current team members range in age from 52 to 80, with an average age in the 60s.
The Golden Oldies normally organize three tournaments a year – one in the fall, one in January or early February, and one the end of March.
The team contributes to a number of local charities, including St. John Ambulance, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Cancer Society, as well as supporting breakfast programs at Valley schools.
“We’re very proud of our donation of a $100 gift card from Superstore to a deserving senior,” Meade said. “And from now on, we’ll be supporting MADD. We’re just starting out with this (fundraiser), but we plan on making it an annual event.”
Admission to the Feb. 8 event will be by freewill donation at the door.
