Volunteer organizers of WHL Yukon Showcase donate over $55,000 to Sport Yukon’s Kids Recreation Fund

Whitehorse, Yukon – The volunteer organizers of last September’s Western Hockey League (WHL) Yukon Showcase between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Kelowna Rockets are excited to announce their donation of $55,861.65 to Sport Yukon’s Kids Recreation Fund.

This important fund provides lower income families in the Yukon with up to $500 per year for their children to participate in sport and recreation.

The event, hosted by the Whitehorse Oldtimers Hockey League, presented by Casino Mining Corporation (Casino), and further supported by dozens of Yukon businesses, featured two exciting pre-season exhibition games at Takhini Arena.

Free clinics for youth from the territory’s minor hockey organizations were also held, with an emphasis on the inclusion of players from Yukon communities due to Casino’s generous support.

Yesterday afternoon, event co-organizer Bernie Adilman presented a cheque to Sport Yukon representing the proceeds from the two games, which sold out more than six months in advance.

Scott Kent, who first envisioned the event with Adilman, and co-organizer Amanda Leslie were unable to attend the donation presentation.

Adilman expressed his sincere appreciation to the WHL, the teams and all those who came together to make this logistically significant event happen.

“I extend our sincere thanks to everyone who made the WHL Yukon Showcase a reality,” said Adilman. “Although Scott, Amanda and I were a team of three, we were resoundingly supported by Yukoners.

From everyone who volunteered or bought tickets to the games to the generosity of our local businesses and the enthusiasm of the teams, their management and the WHL executives, we were able to present world-class hockey and hopefully help inspire a next generation of Yukon athletes by showcasing not only great hockey, but so much of what our territory has to offer.”

Sport Yukon President Stacy Lewis said the donation is especially timely.

“A strong uptake of the Kids Recreation Fund meant we were at risk of running out of funds before year-end,” said Lewis. “Thanks to the generosity of the Yukon hockey community and event sponsors, all Yukon kids will have the opportunity to play.

Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, energy and support to make this event such a success.”

Key event sponsors included the Government of Yukon, Air North, Yukon’s Airline, Arcrite Northern, Canadian Engineered Wood Products, Dairy Queen Whitehorse, Kilrich Industries, Milwaukee Tools, Mosaic Communications, Northwestel, North Star Mini Storage, NVD, Pelly Construction and Tim Hortons.

Northland Beverages contributed significantly to a Meet the Teams free community barbeque, hosted by Sport Yukon on the eve of the first game.

“Once again, as they so often do, local businesses responded to our idea for this event, to our passion to give back to our community, and to what at times as volunteers, felt like a monumental logistical task,” said Leslie.

“We could not be more grateful to Yukoners and truly appreciate the time and commitment they provided to us in order to support the Yukon Kids Recreation Fund and families throughout the territory.”

To learn more about the Kids Recreation Fund, please visit https://yukon.ca/en/arts-and-culture/sports-and-recreation/apply-kids-recreation-fund