NHL stars will be skating and dining in Collingwood this coming weekend for the second annual Collingwood Celebrity Hockey Classic.
The charity event supports Easter Seals Ontario and features former NHL greats playing with local pick-up teams at the Eddie Bush Memorial Arena on Friday, Nov. 24.
Those participating in the classic form their own teams to attend a “draft party” the evening before, where they will get the chance to draft one of the participating former NHL players including: Wendel Clark, Scott Walker, Bernie Nicholls, Troy Crowder or Steve Thomas.
The teams play a series of six games, which are free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to bring a food bank or unwrapped toy donation to be handled by the Collingwood Optimist Club. Games run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit the Celebrity Hockey Classics website for the full schedule.
Each team is responsible for raising $7,500 to participate, which will go to support Easter Seals Ontario.
“Easter Seals Ontario has been around for over 100 years,” said Charlene Myke, manager of development for the charity. “We look after kids with physical disabilities by supporting them and their families with equipment … and we run fully accessible camps in the summer time. And if you ask a child what’s the most important thing we do, they’re going to tell you it’s camp.”
The weekend event also includes a gala dinner with the NHL celebrities, which is sold by table to sponsors.
Each table sponsorship covers one child’s summer camp fees.
The classics event runs at a few locations in Ontario. The Collingwood event is supported by Century 21 and the Collingwood Blues Junior A team.
Myke said Easter Seals approached the Collingwood Blues last year for help and the team has stepped up to assist with the event and through sponsorship.
The fundraising goal for this year’s Celebrity Hockey Classic is $100,000.
For more, visit celebrityhockeyclasics.com.
