They鈥檙e sore, they鈥檙e tired but they鈥檙e happy. Close to 40 players turned out Saturday for the 24-hour charity hockey game in support of Children Cancer Foundation at the Penhold Multiplex, with an unofficial count of $3,230 raised.
鈥淚 think for the first year it went really well,鈥� said Trevor Jenner, coordinator of the event.
He said 40 people showed up throughout the day to lace up their skates and play hockey, with the majority, staying for the entire day.
鈥淗ow could you not be motivated to come out?鈥� said Rachel Raynolds of what got her to the arena 10 a.m. Saturday for the 24-hour haul.
鈥淚 think for all those kids out there this is way to let them know there鈥檚 people that care 鈥� they鈥檙e not alone,鈥� agreed John Lawson.
For Stephen Radu, 18, who found out in 2006 he had a brain tumour, the event was exactly what鈥檚 needed.
鈥淭his is a great thing for a great cause. When I was diagnosed I saw the benefits of it (Children鈥檚 Cancer Foundation) and it鈥檚 great to give back.鈥� Radu was at the complex Saturday afternoon and made a presentation to the players, encouraging them in their event. Radu鈥檚 tumour was located at the stem and only two thirds could be operated on. After surgery he lost his motor skills and was basically flat on his back for four months, explained his father Richard. Then, just before starting radiation, he spoke.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long road back,鈥� said his father of Radu鈥檚 204 days in hospital, six weeks of radiation and five weeks of chemo. In November, he鈥檒l be officially a survivor.
Radu spoke to the group about Camp Kindle, located just outside Water Valley, owned by the Kids Cancer Care Foundation, and about his experiences there.
鈥淚t allows kids to just be kids,鈥� he explained. After his presentation, Radu dropped the puck on the ice and the afternoon game continued.
Jenner said the event will become annual, and hopes next year more people can come out and more money can be raised.
鈥淚 think for the first year it鈥檚 gone really well,鈥� said Landen Ames who was playing over the weekend. 鈥淭revor鈥檚 been wanting to do this for a few years. He went to a couple of places in Red Deer but people wouldn鈥檛 give him a chance because he was young and they didn鈥檛 think he would take it seriously. But then we came to Penhold and they jumped at the idea,鈥� he explained.
Jenner agrees. 鈥淔or the first year we were figuring everything out and how to get everything going. I think next year we鈥檒l be able to work on making it bigger.鈥�
