A local hockey team is teaming up with a nonprofit organization to support children in Central Alberta.
On Friday, the Red Deer Vipers announced the team had agreed to a multi-year partnership with the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre.
“Creating partnerships in our community is extremely important,” said Jodi Jamieson, CACAC community development co-ordinator.
“It helps us reach more people and create important funds that make our daily operations happen. Without these partnerships in our community our service team and our centre just couldn’t survive. It’s so important.”
The two organizations teamed up for the first time Friday, as the Vipers hosted a golf tournament in support of the CACAC at River Bend Golf and Recreation Area.
Brady Sim, Vipers director of media, marking and sponsorship, said when he and team general manager Dale Scott took over the Vipers, they set a goal of being more visible in the community.
“We sought this (partnership) out beginning this off-season, after last year ended,” he said, adding the CACAC was his first call.
“I was very happy to be able to make this work and to be able to put on an event like this.
Sim said, with partnerships like this, the organization’s hope is to create community leaders.
“Obviously we’re a hockey team and we want to develop better hockey players, but I think in Junior B our mantra’s got to be we want to develop better people,” he said.
“We want them to come in at 18 (years old) and be better people when they leave. One of the things of value I think we need to instil is community and giving back. It’s events like this that instil those values.”
The CACAC will also be involved in the Vipers’ community tailgate barbecue this September. On Oct. 15, the CACAC will be on location during a Vipers game in Red Deer – October is Child Abuse Awareness Month.
“It’s really important we reach out to our partners in the month of October and become very visible so the community can see this is something that’s ongoing,” said Jamieson.
“One in three Canadians are affected by some form of child abuse. If we can get that out into the communities (and let them know) it’s OK to speak up, talk and say your truth. We’re there to support everybody.”
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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