Athabasca and Boyleís hard working emergency services personnel took a well-deserved break for some fun on the ice on Saturday.
Police, firefighters and EMS workers from Athabasca and Boyle squared off in a charity hockey game at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex. The two teams engaged in some friendly competition with the Boyle side coming out on top. As a result, the $966 raised at the event went to their charity of choice, the Boyle Community Food Bank.
Regardless of the outcome, members of both teams enjoyed taking time from their work to entertain the community and have some fun.
It was also a rare chance for them to get together under circumstances that donít involve an accident of some kind.
ìItís different than being on the side of the highway,î chuckled Athabasca fire chief Denis Mathieu, who worked the door for his team.
The game was a mixture of hockey players of different skill levels and experience. Some had played the game for years, while others were taking their first tentative strides on the ice. But in all cases, the goal was simply to have fun.
ìItís awesome,î said Boyle team captain and event organizer Colin Folk of the game, speaking as time wound down on the final period. ìThereís a little smack talking, but itís all in good fun.î
The game was in the works for a while, as organizers worked to create an event that would be memorable and could possibly become an annual tradition.
ìItís a fun, family event,î said Nicole Keith from Athabasca EMS. ìIt supports the community and itís a good time.î
The future of the event is unclear. The organizers are well aware that thereís a band of NHL alumni that travels the country playing games against emergency services.
Whether thereís some extra star power to the game next year or not, both sides hope to get back out on the ice and continue raising money for a good cause.
