VERNON, B.C. — Around 2,000 people came out to the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) Community Celebration at Kalamalka Beach, a fundraiser for the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation (VJHF). The event gave the community reason to celebrate after it was announced that the online NHL player jersey auction raised over $7,000 for the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation and the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund was donating $50,000 of new hockey equipment to minor hockey associations in Vernon, Salmon Arm and West Kelowna._
Approximately 20 current and former NHL players were on hand to coach standup paddleboard polo, sign autographs, announce the winners of signed NHL player jerseys and present equipment to young players from minor hockey. The NHL players included Curtis Lazar, Andrew Ference, Scott Hartnell, Cam Atkinson, Steve Webb, Jason Chimera, David Booth, Manny Malhotra and others. Broadcaster and former NHL goalie Kelly Hrudey emceed the event and local favourite Andrew Allen performed in the afternoon.
The NHLPA Community Celebration was the second event of THE two-day NHLPA Summer Classic, following yesterday’s 23rd annual NHLPA Golf Classic, which $100,000 raised for charity. The NHLPA Community Celebration was a collaborative event in partnership with the NHLPA, the City of Vernon, Predator Ridge and VJHF.
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Photo: Andrew Ference demonstrates his paddleboarding skills at the NHLPA Community Celebration at Kal Beach. (Photo credit: City of Vernon/Jeff Bassett)