The Merritt Centenniels hockey club raised over $10,000 for the local junior A team (above) at Saturday evening’s Icebreaker at the Civic Centre. The event, which was attended by over 250 people, included a number of special activities, including a spectacular performance by Cents’ defenseman. Photo by Ian Webster
The Merritt Ice Breaker was a smash success, raising over $10,000 to support the longest continuously-run, non-profit franchise in the British Columbia Hockey League.
“Things went really well. Everyone had a good time,” said Maddison Canuel, marketing director for the Merritt Centennials.
“It was a really nice social event as well as a very important fundraiser for the hockey club.”
Close to 250 people, including family, friends and fans, crowded into the Merritt Civic Centre on Saturday night for the annual Merritt Centennials’ Ice Breaker fundraising dinner and dance.
The evening was highlighted by several outstanding events, including the presentation of this year’s Centennials’ players, and notable speeches by both of the team’s coaches – Luke Pierce and Maury Grant. The evening was rounded out with terrific musical performances by the local Gary Cooper Band and the Centennials’ own Steve Tresierra.
The night’s activities also included a delicious beef dinner served up by the hardworking members of the Centennials’ Booster club, and a silent auction of memorabilia and donated items.
There was also the presentation of a $5,000 cheque by Frank Rizzardo of the local Rotary Club of Merritt to Jerry Canuel, president of the Merritt Centennials’ Society to assist in the team with, in Rizzardo’s words, “meals and transportation and sticks.”
In his impressive speech to all those on hand, head coach and general manager Pierce thanked the many supporters of the Centennials’ hockey club for their unwavering loyalty through the good times and the bad, and for their ongoing desire to keep junior A hockey in a small-market community such as Merritt.Pierce reflected with pride on his years playing in Merritt – both as a minor hockey product and as a Centennial – and how important a role the sport of hockey and the local club played in shaping his future and his successes.
Both Pierce and Grant spoke of wanting to create a “positive, winning culture” with the local Centennials’ team that would lead to players wanting to come to Merritt to play their junior hockey, and wanting to become active, enthusiastic members of and contributors to the community.
Following the evening gala, Canuel was eager to convey his gratitude on behalf of the Centennials’ organization to the numerous businesses and individuals from all over the Nicola Valley and beyond who made the Ice Breaker event such a success by way of their support and generous donations.
