Hockey dad needs help putting on tournament for sick kids

OKANAGAN – A Kelowna hockey dad is looking for a little corporate muscle to put on the Winter Classic, an outdoor hockey tournament at Apex Mountain resort.

Yannick Lescarbeau, who manages the Kelowna Minor Hockey Atom Development B team, started the tournament last year as a fundraiser for the SickKids Foundation.

The tournament will pit Kelowna as host against  teams from West Kelowna, Penticton, Langley, Richmond and Vancouver, Lescarbeau explains.

"“Last year, we raised $10,000 and taught all our kids a sense of responsibility and developed their awareness of others that are not as fortunate as they are,” Lescarbeau says.

This year’s classic will also feature a friendly match between two teams made up of some kids with autism, Down syndrome and other physical and cognitive disabilities, he says.

Set to run Feb. 5 to 8, Lescarbeau began planning the second annual Winter Classic before Christmas, and he is still hoping to attract some private or corporate sponsorship for fixed costs such as referees and ice time.

“The bottom line is the more we raise from corporate donations, the more we can turn over to SickKids,” he says.

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