Strathmore weather shifts plans of pond hockey event

There has been some definite inconsistency in the weather over the past few weeks, from chinooks to rain and now snow, it is having an effect on events for family day weekend.

The Pond Hockey Winter Festival has to make a few adjustments to their plan on Sunday explained Organizer Scott Silva with HeckYa.ca.

“So with all the hot and cold weather, it's really put a damper on the planning and so what we've done is really just recreated the event. We scaled back our hockey tournament just because we've had a couple of teams that have had to bow out.” 

“On the day of the event, we're really just going to have a big focus on our concert with Drew Gregory that's going to be at 2:00 PM. We are still going to have a hockey area set up for some skills competition and for the kids to play." 

“We've got our indigenous ceremony starting at 11:00 AM, also attended by some local dignitaries. And now we've got more live performances at 12:00 o'clock on the Aspen Crossing stage, and of course, everything is going to be surrounded by our beer gardens from Origin Brewery and Krave food truck, so it's going to be a lot of fun.” 

The goal of the event will still be fun for the whole family and to fundraise for the Wheatland and Area Hospice Society (WHAS). The WHAS is working towards the goal of offering programs, services, and a new hospice facility to serve patients and their families in the Wheatland County region.

They are nearing their goal of 2.7 million dollars to build the facility, Silva says event with the changes to the program, the goal is to help to raise as much as possible for the WHAS, “This is all in support of the Wheatland & Area Hospice Society, so we definitely are taking donations for them. Everything is open and accessible to everyone but if they would like to donate, it will all be going towards the Hospice Society.”

Silva notes that for those who may not be able to attend but would still like to donate they can visit the website pondhockeywinterfestival.ca and there is a donate button that will send the donations directly to The Wheatland & Area Hospice Society.