On Saturday Dec. 6, over 3,000 people are expected to turn out for a charity hockey game between college rivals St. Michael’s and Victoria. The three-game series being played at Varsity Arena is a fundraiser for the United Way of Greater Toronto, the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Toronto, and the Toronto branch of the Daily Bread Food Bank. The event organizers-St. Mike’s College Student Union, Victoria College Athletic Association, and the U of T Italian Club-are offering free admission in exchange for a non-perishable food item.
The event, which has attracted the attention of the local media as well as numerous corporations, is being billed as more then just a hockey game. “We wanted to market this game not just for the University of Toronto student, but get the whole community involved,” says Adrian Rasekh-one of the principal organizers of the event. “And so far the response from the community, university, and corporations has been overwhelming.”
Rasekh knew it would be a tough sell if he tried to market this as only a student event. “There is too much student apathy, and lack of organization on campus to do this without the help of the community,” he says.
By using an outward approach, the event will be attended by employees of many corporations such as TDCanadaTrust, Bally’s, Nike, and Chapters. In addition, the two major sponsors for the game, Alliance Atlantis Canada and the night club Piccadilly Circus will be in the giving mood all night.
Every student attending the game can use their ticket as a voucher to attend the afterparty at the club. The crowd will also have an opportunity to win tons of prizes such as free tickets to the new Lord of the Rings movie courtesy of Alliance Atlantis Canada. There will also be musical entertainment provided by DJ Rudeboy, one of Toronto’s hottest up and coming DJ’s.
As for the game itself, the format will be three 15-minute stop-time periods plus overtime if necessary. But unlike most charity sporting events, the game is being taken very seriously and is expected to be very physical and high tempo. The level of play will resemble an OHL game and less an old-timers game.
With many of the players on both teams having played varsity or Junior A hockey, there will be no shortage of skill on the ice. Both clubs are intent on being prepared for the showdown having held regular practices and being coached by players on the men’s varsity team. The game might be for charity, but bragging rights are at stake.
Even though the event is affiliated with U of T, it is clear popularity has boiled over to the surrounding community. “I am getting interest from all kinds of people and businesses,” says Rasekh. So much so that organizers are calling this the largest sporting event at U of T in the last five years. If you are interested in taking part in this historic event, tickets are still available by emailing [email protected].
