A teacher in Lashburn hopes to bring an annual hockey game back to its former glory. The annual Telemiracle Hockey Game is dropping the puck in Lashburn, Sask. this month to raise money for Telemiracle 43.
For 43 years the Kinsmen Foundation has helped children with disabilities through the Telemiracle phone drive. Lashburn has hosted a hockey game for a number of years to raise money for Telemiracle. Those wanting to play fund-raise or pledge a minimum of $100 to play a hockey game in front of their family and friends.
Christina Schmidt, a teacher at Lashburn High School, has recently taken up the mantle of organizing the game. For years it’s been organized by a teacher at the school who’s since retired. Schmidt says that it used to be a lot bigger before then, and hopes to see it get big once more.
“It used to be a really big event, we’re trying to get it back into it because it kind of fell to the side after we had our other organizer retire. So we’re trying to get it back to the well-known standard it was before,” says Schmidt.
The game is a lot of work, featuring a silent auction, games for the audience and a 50/50 door prize. After having no one to organize it, the fundraiser didn’t happen one year. Schmidt says that a year of no fundraising didn’t sit well with her and she decided to take on the game. Her efforts got the game back up with the help of some colleagues and old files from the retired teacher.
It features current students and graduates and has seen community members and hockey team players join in on the fun. The game has recently raised around $5,000. but has broken as high as $10,000 in previous years. This year they hope to raise $6,000 for Telemiracle 43 after having hit just over $5,900 last game. Schmidt says organizing the event an incredible experience.
“Everyone rallies around, and we’ve had a lot of different things go on within the community in the last couple of years. Just seeing the generosity of businesses and people, and what they’re willing to do for a fundraiser is awesome.”
Schmidt says that Lashburn is a giving community that loves to support it’s own. The Telemiracle 43 Hockey Game will be taking place in Lashburn at the CN Sportplex on Wednesday, February 27 at 7 p.m.