WHL Community Collective: Red Deer Rebels
The Western Hockey League strives to promote and foster a welcoming community across our 22 clubs scattered throughout Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Every team is given the creative freedom to allow their players and staff to work with the organizations and groups that they are most passionate towards. The end goal is to create and maintain long-lasting relationships and ongoing partnerships within their community.
Through the WHL Community Collective we aim to highlight these outstanding initiatives done by each club over the course of the year.
This is what the Red Deer Rebels’ #WHLCommunity looked like this season:
It did not take long for the Red Deer Rebels to reacquaint themselves with the students and teaching staff of Annie L. Gaetz Elementary School as the 2022-23 season marked the 30th consecutive year of partnership between the two groups.
The Rebels and elementary school have been intertwined since the Club’s WHL debut in the 1992-93 season when Red Deer joined the League as an expansion team.
Since then, the Rebels have paid monthly visits to the school during their regular season campaigns.
The long-standing initiative, which is passionately cherished by both sides, also boasts a sense of one-of-a-kind uniqueness since the friendly faces on both the Rebels’ roster and elementary school yearbook look different from season-to-season.
Some of the success behind this venture stem from the commitment and kindness the Rebels organization and its players have shown toward the school every term.
“As role models, they have been a shining example to the students of what it means to be dedicated, driven, and passionate about something you love. They have shown them that anything is possible if you work hard enough and believe in yourself. The positive attitude and willingness to help others has not gone unnoticed, and they have made a lasting impression on the students. Each month on the day that the Rebels come this is the most exciting day for the students at Annie L. Gaetz. The excitement in the air is palpable,” Deanne Good, principal of Annie L. Gaetz Elementary, praised.
But, before the Rebels cohort can hit the classroom as teaching assistants, they must participate in the kickoff assembly — a historic tradition that comprises of player introductions and the official Annie L. Gaetz Rebels Cheer.
From there, each player is assigned to a classroom as teaching assistants for the remainder of the season. During their visits, reading sessions, arts and crafts, and of course, hockey-inspired activities are all fair game.
Red Deer’s involvement with the elementary school didn’t stop at the classroom activities either. With the goal of giving the Annie L. Gaetz students opportunities to extend their learning outside of their class, the Rebels made several fundraising efforts throughout the season alongside the school.
“We also want to commend the organization for the incredible support that [they] have provided to our school. [Their] contributions to our fundraising efforts have made a significant impact on the lives of our students, and we are incredibly grateful for [their] generosity,” Good expressed. “This year, we were able to raise money at Christmas by auctioning off our season tickets. The Rebels also donated a signed stick for this auction.”
But, the most successful fundraiser came as a ticket raffle for a sold-out game against the Regina Pats in January.
“All these funds allowed us to send students on extra field studies.”
With their 30th year of partnership officially in the books, Good reflects back on the community the Rebels and the school have fostered together. To the principal, it’s a relationship that is irreplaceable.
“Our partnership with the Rebels is one of the most important connections we have at Annie L. Gaetz. We want to express our gratitude for the amazing experience that the students at Annie L. Gaetz have had with the Rebels. It has been truly inspiring to see all the players in action and to watch how they work together to achieve goals,” Good said.
“We feel truly blessed to have [them] as a part of our community.”
The Rebels and Annie L. Gaetz community now eagerly wait for another year of monthly visits, starting next hockey season.
