WHL Community Collective: Lethbridge Hurricanes
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 Lethbridge Hurricanes’ #WHLCommunity looked like this season:
This season, the Lethbridge Hurricanes welcomed a partnership with the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS), which saw the two organizations team-up to host a community engagement night focusing on the LPS and its wide array of departments.
The event, which was held at a Hurricanes home game in January, saw the local police service take over the ENMAX Centre for the evening.
Our thanks to @lethpolice for joining us at the game tonight!
???? @perreauxphoto pic.twitter.com/DVtzpSEliT
— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) January 15, 2023
Those in attendance were treated to nonstop activities like, getting photo opportunities and closer looks inside police vehicles, and the chance to try on some police equipment — all while chatting with LPS staff throughout the concourse.
On top of the hands-on activities, the ENMAX Centre crowd was also entertained with some action-packed pre- and in-game demonstrations.
Prior to the game, a tactical team stunned onlookers as they rappelled from the arena’s rafters to deliver the puck to LPS Police Chief Shahin Mehdizadeh for the ceremonial puck drop — a moment and night Mehdizadeh had been waiting for since the event was scheduled.
“We’re looking forward to getting out and meeting with our citizens, cheering for the Hurricanes and providing a glimpse of what policing is like for anyone considering a career in law enforcement,” Mehdizadeh said to Lethbridge media when the partnership was first announced.
Special puck delivery during tonight’s ceremonial faceoff | @lethpolice pic.twitter.com/HVXcWwZtqg
— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) January 15, 2023
Even Hurricanes’ general manager, Peter Anholt, got involved in the evening’s festivities.
Anholt was a part of an intermission demonstration that saw a K9 unit practice an LPS-issued biting exercise on him. While being bit by a police dog may have not been on Anholt’s ‘bucket list,’ the long-tenured general manager certainly embraced the entertaining night with the LPS.
You gotta see this!
“2 minutes for lookin’ so good” – #WHLCanes GM, Peter Anholt, finds himself pulled over then in the sin bin during tonight’s intermission K9 demo. #YQL pic.twitter.com/C95pLbCgwI
— Lethbridge Hurricanes (@WHLHurricanes) January 15, 2023
The Hurricanes and LPS also raised money for four local charities by auctioning off limited-time, LPS-themed jerseys that the players wore during their community engagement night.
The jersey auction raised just under $13,000 and the proceeds were split among the Lethbridge Food Bank, Interfaith Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Special Olympics.
Following a night of police service themed activities, LPS Sergeant Allister Koop, couldn’t believe how well the night turned out.
“The night was an amazing way, not only to partner with a long-standing and iconic organization within Lethbridge (Lethbridge Hurricanes), but to show a different side to policing,” Koop said. “This was a rare opportunity to interact with our community in a unique way and show them a career of service is worth pursuing. To be able to accomplish all of that and raise some money for local charities made it an unforgettable night.”
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