It was a great day for minor hockey in the Okanagan Mainline Amateur Hockey Association, and a day many kids say they will never forget.
The National Hockey League Players Association Goals and Dreams program made a donation of $50,000, for 25 sets of new hockey equipment, to Salmon Arm, Greater Vernon and West Kelowna Minor Hockey Associations at Kal Beach in Vernon last Friday afternoon.
Several current and former NHL players were on hand to assist in the presentations and participate in festivities.
NHL players who grew up playing in the area that participated in the fundraising event included Nashville Predators’ Shea Weber and Cody Franson and Ottawa Senators’ Curtis Lazar.
Lazar had nominated Salmon Arm as one of the beneficiaries of the equipment donation.
“Many thanks to Curtis Lazar, he was the key guy who named us as beneficiary of this wonderful donation,” said Roy Sakaki, SAMHA administrator. Former NHL goaltender and current Hockey Night in Canada commentator, Kelly Hrudey, was the master of ceremonies.