Skate to Remember – Honoring those who serve and have served.

In the August newsletter we introduced our vision – to create an environment that supports the learning of skills for life in a safe, fun and supportive community atmosphere.

Remembrance Day holds many meanings to different people within our hockey community. We all enjoy the luxuries and freedoms today due to the sacrifices of our loved ones who serve, or have served, our beautiful country. Historically NVMHA hosted the Skate-A-Thon where players would collect pledges and then skate laps around the ice. You may wonder why NVMHA chooses to run an event on Remembrance Day? Let me explain. Ice Sports North Shore generously donates 6 hours of ice on three sheets of ice and has done so for years – a value of over $5,000. We’ve held a modest Remembrance Day ceremony at 11:00 am for the past four years, arranged for team photographs and ran on-ice activities. An annual fundraising raffle event was added whereby tickets were sold during the two weeks leading up to the event, with the draw taking place at the end of the day.

We have decided to change things up a bit this year, and stick to the true meaning of Remembrance Day – bringing our hockey community together while taking some much respected time to remember the contributions and sacrifices of the men and women who served Canada in time of war, military conflict and peace – especially those who did not return.

Therefore we are separating the Skate to Remember event from our photo day and the annual fundraising raffle.

On Friday November 11th, the Skate to Remember events will take place for the Initiation and Atom divisions and will include skills’n’drills hosted by ISNS’s skating instructors, exhibition games and for the Atom division a skills competition. A modest Remembrance Day ceremony will be held at 11:00 am where all participants will be brought together on the Blue Rink (Rink #2) for a Remembrance Day ceremony which will include observing one minute of silence in order to pay tribute to our past and present heroes. NVMHA past and present members from all divisions, their families and friends are invited to attend.

Team photo day will be Sunday, November 20th at the Mickey McDougal Recreation Centre at 23rd Street and St. Andrews. Wendy Wong has graciously volunteered to organize this event, will prepare a schedule and be in contact with team managers shortly with more information.

Check the link at the top of the left column of our home page (called “Skate to Remember and Fundraising Raffle”) for an overview, a schedule, instructions for volunteers, and instructions for selling raffle tickets.

The annual fundraising raffle draw will now take place on Sunday, November 20th. Our initiation and atom players will sell raffle tickets beginning November 1st, and tickets will be handed in upon arrival for their team photo on Sunday, November 20th. Raffle prizes include an i-pad 2, autographed Vancouver Giants jerseys, set of four Giants tickets, Boston Pizza dinner for two and a pair of Canucks tickets, gift certificates to Browns Social House and Tim Hortons to name only a few. There are also incentives for the players who sell the most tickets. The top ticket seller will win an i-pad 2. More information will be made available and distributed via your Division Director and on our web page in the coming days.

According to the Government of Canada’s Veteran’s Affairs web page (www.veterans.gc.ca) community groups are encouraged to build Remembrance Day activities in their programs. It would appear that NVMHA is a progressive organization as we have built this into our hockey program over four years ago.

I hope this information has helped you to better understand the purpose and intent behind these three separate events. On behalf of the NVMHA Executive and Board of Directors, we thank you for your continued support as we work to create positive experiences within our hockey community. I am proud to be representing the NVMHA as your president, and as a member of this great hockey community. I look forward to seeing you at the rink throughout the season.

Sincerely,

Leanne Taylor-Ring
President
North Vancouver Minor Hockey Association