As I approach my third month here in Bonnyville, I think enough time has passed to officially consider myself a bona fide Pontiacs fan. I've always enjoyed hockey, be it a professional game, my brother's little league, or playing as a child on the ice rink my father used to make in our backyard.
Hockey has a nostalgic appeal to Canadians, as our national pastime and something we can call our own, something we can do better than our southern counterparts and have the Olympic medals to prove. Whether it be memories of heroic Olympic wins or a simple Tim Horton's commercial featuring families waking up at the crack of dawn for hockey practice, hockey is an essential part of Canadian culture and identity.
It is also an exciting sport to watch and follow, and for smaller, close-knit communities, such as Bonnyville, to rally around. I love how you can feel the excitement brewing on game night, from the signs in town about the game, to the nearly full house in the stands. I like how involved the fans are, from the familiar faces you see at every game, to the kids who make signs to cheer on our boys and shriek every time they skate by.
I also like how the Pontiacs give back to the community and I had the opportunity to witness this first-hand when they helped children safely cross the street on Halloween. Now that's community spirit: a town rallying behind their hockey team and that team giving back to its supportive community.
On the topic of sports and community spirit, I think it is important to commend the Bonnyville Voyageurs for organizing their first annual Scott MacDonald Memorial game last month. The boys came together to honour their teammate who had died of cancer and to make a positive impact on the lives of children living with cancer today.
Scott's wish was for these children to have a video game system to play while in the hospital, as he did, so the Voyageurs raised money for this cause by shaving their heads and encouraging others to do the same. The boys raised an impressive $6,500.
This is a particularly touching story as these high-school-aged boys realize the importance of giving back to the community and will likely grow up to be adults who share this value.
Let's continue to support our local sports teams, the way they support our community. Go Pontiacs!
