The charity game between the Battlefords Peewee AA Barons and Battleford Central School Staff and Friends held last week may well become an annual event.
Presented by the Battleford Central School Me to We Club, the game featured a match up between the peewee team regulars, who gave up their regular practice time, and a team of teachers, the town's mayor, some out-of-school hockey talent and a representative of Jumpstart, to which the proceeds were going.
BCS principal Tonya Lehman coached the school team, assisted by vice-principal Brian Hargreaves.
At an assembly at the school Tuesday, Lehman said the game was successful enough that it could become an annual event. To that announcement, the student body of BCS cheered.
Brett Payne, owner of Canadian Tire North Battleford, accepted a cheque for $1,505 on behalf of Jumpstart, which is administered by Canadian Tire. He was also able to apply for and be granted an additional $2,000 from the larger organization to be pooled with that raised by BCS Me to We.
Also there for the presentation was Sherri Woolridge, executive director of the Battlefords Boys and Girls Club. Applications for Jumpstart funding are made through the Boys and Girls Club. In some instances, added Payne, the Boys and Girls Club can also identify youth who would benefit from the program.
Following the assembly, the Me to We Club members gathered in the school library with Payne, Woolridge and a number of teachers who were also involved in the hockey game for a group photograph.
Cheryl Dyck, who is the staff advisor for the Me to We Club, said the idea to organize a hockey game came from kindergarten teacher Marilyn Taylor.
Making up the BCS team were: Rod Leniuk, Battleford Bantam AA Barons goalie coach; Grade 2/3 teacher Aaron Dobson; Grade 2 teacher Barb Lily; Grade 4 teacher Malcolm Garden; Michelle Colin, educational assistant; Taylor Cave of the AAA Sharks; Battleford's mayor, Derek Mahon; Brooke Lonoway of the AAA Sharks; Morgan Fraser of the AAA Sharks; Zach Renwick, educational assistant; Grade 5 teacher Rob Cook; Grade 1 teacher Drew Yahn; Jim Schevchuk, superintendent with the Living Sky School Division; Brad Gear of the RCMP; Midget AAA head coach Martin Smith, Brett Payne of Canadian Tire and Battleford Atom Bisons coach Rocky Omelchenko. The Battleford Beaver Blues loaned their jerseys to the team.
The Peewee AA Barons are made up of Cam Taylor of BCS, Kenny Sroka of Maidstone, Tyson Tuck of BCS, Jacob Biensch of Neilburg, Logan Cook of École Monseigneur Blaise Morand, Jake Southgate of BCS, Braydon Schultz of Unity, Colby Ralston of Unity, Luke Fennig of BCS, Landon Buziak of Bready School, Danton L'Heureux of BCS, Chase Taggart of BCS, Braden Koch of Neilburg, Easton Mclean of Unity, Ryland McNinch of Turtleford, coach Jason L'Heureux, assistant coach Keith Nachtegaele, assistant coach Jack Biensch and manager Vern Schultz.
Referee for the game was Sheldon Rivet.
The Battlefords North Stars donated a signed shirt for the event, the BCS Drumline performed during intermissions and a saxophone group accompanied singers of the national anthem.
The game finished in a tie.
