Drumheller FunTeam marked 30 years of giving back to the community with its annual Christmas tradition.
The first Annual FunTeam- Salvation Army Benefit Game was held in 1994 when 19 players took to the ice for one game to support the Christmas Hamper Program with their food donations. Thirty years later 137 players took to the ice to continue the tradition of giving back to support the 2023 Christmas Hamper Program collecting 621.5 lbs of food with an estimated value of $2,187.86.
Drumheller FunTeam Hockey Club was born to promote a low-cost community sports program that not only taught youth skating and hockey skills but also the values of sportsmanship, fair play, team play, respectfulness and citizenship.
Since its beginning, Drumheller FunTeam has had the support of our Drumheller Community whether it was local businesses or individual citizens lending a helping hand through volunteering or monetary donations so our youth could stay active in sport and play the Canadian game they all love.
In return to promote Citizenship, FunTeam chose to give back to our community via the Annual Benefit Games to help the Salvation Army in recognition of the help & support that they give to all members of our community in need.
On the ice three decades later were Tim Gilroy, Nicholas Sereda and Kyler Sereda who played in the first Benefit Game in 1994. At the 30th Annual event , they each found themselves coaching their sons and daughters! In the stands were Nick and Olga Sereda cheering on their great-grandchildren and their teammates like they did 30 years ago when they were cheering on their grandchildren.
As well over those 30 years, they have not missed making a food donation at each of the 30 annual games to help the cause.
