Retired Calgary Flames are looking to foothills artists to create an eight-legged logo to be emblazoned on jerseys in a fundraising game for Canadian soldiers.
The Calgary Flames Alumni are playing in the Spider-hockey fundraiser on Sept. 29 at the Centennial Arena in Okotoks to raise funds for Soldier On. They need an artist to come up with the design of the eight-legged creature for the front of the jersey.
Soldier On is a non-profit organization which aims to optimize the functional independence of ill or injured Canadian forces personnel or former personnel by delivering programs and providing opportunities to support their full and active participation in physical fitness.
For example, a soldier coming home after losing a leg may be provided with such things as a special ski to downhill ski or a sled to play sledge hockey. The goal is to keep them active.
Rob Tudor, an Okotokian who spent time with the Vancouver Canucks in the late 1970s, is one of the organizers of the event.
“The event is called Spider-hockey because we want to raise enough money to buy eight legs or whatever is needed,” said Tudor at an organizational meeting in Okotoks on Jan. 17. “We want to have an artist from High River, Okotoks, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Longview to come up with a logo that we would put on the jerseys.”
The winning entry would be on display on the chests of both the home and away teams.
The teams are expected to consist of former NHL players, military personnel and some die-hard hockey fans who are willing to pay some extra money to possibly play with the likes of Mike Rogers, Charlie Simmer, Lanny McDonald or Sheldon Kennedy.
One ex-player who will be there is former Detroit Red Wing Dennis Polonich.
“It’s still too early to tell who is going to come out and play,” Polonich said. “It’s the kind of cause that I think you will get a lot of the guys to make a commitment to play.”
A banquet will be held at the Foothills Centennial Centre shortly after the hockey game at 7 p.m.
The proceeds will be split between Soldier On and the Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC). Both of which are dear to the heart of Sharon Van Olm of High River, one of the organizers of the event.
“I have two sons in the military and I know how hard it can be,” Van Olm said. “Without families, you wouldn’t have a Canadian military.”
She said a friend of one of her sons returned home from military service with just one leg.
Forty per cent of the Spider-hockey event and banquet will go towards the Calgary chapter of MFRC, which serves the foothills area.
The remaining 10 per cent will go the Edmonton area chapter.
Tudor said the hockey game will be a family fun event with the players hanging around to sign autographs at the end of the game.
However, before the game is played, the players need jerseys.
Anyone wishing to submit an entry for the Spider-hockey logo may do so at the Okotoks Western Wheel or at High River Autoplex and RV. The winning artist will receive a Flames’ autographed jersey. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 17.
For information about Soldier On got to www.soldieron.ca. For information concerning the Military Family Resource Centre go to www.familyforce.ca
