Hit the Ice at a Life-Changing Event!

Wendel Clark. Darryl Sittler. Darcy Tucker and Al Iafrate. These are just a few of the hockey legends I grew up watching, huddled in front of the television on Saturday nights. I can recall the voices of the commentators, the sound of a slapshot and the feeling of euphoria when a goal light flashed red. Truly, following the Toronto Maple Leafs on their road to the Stanley Cup – er, post season? – will always have a special place in my childhood.

You too? Well, what if there was a chance to lace up with these hockey greats and more… all for a great cause?
Introducing the Scotiabank Pro-Am for Alzheimer’s in support of Baycrest. It’s the largest on-ice hockey charity tournament in North America! The tournament takes this year on May 5th and 6th, and allows everyday hockey fans the chance to team up with some of hockey’s greatest players. Now I’ll break down the ways you can participate in just a moment, but first, I wanted to chat about some of the recent wins in Alzheimer’s research, all thanks to the tournament.

Since its inception in 2004, the Scotiabank Baycrest Pro-Am has raised over $30 million to support Baycrest Health Sciences, a global leader in brain health and aging. And, the event is the largest source of new donors to the foundation year over year. In fact, ALL contributions to the event will help support Baycrest Health Sciences’ mission, part of which is to conduct research into cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s. Seeing these tangible results, and knowing that my support is helping those with dementia or cognitive impairment, is all the motivation I need to get involved. (Donors to the Baycrest Foundation play a critical role in keeping Baycrest running, because government funding only makes up about 64% of revenues.) 

So now that we know why it’s a good idea to get involved, how can you do it? It’s simple.

1. Create a Team. Get together with your hockey-loving friends and family, and start fundraising! As a team captain you’ll have the ability to choose from one of two fundraising levels:

Pro Team – $15,000 to $24,999
Legends Team – $25,000 +

Each of these levels come with their own benefits and VIP access (check the website for a full description of perks. Please note, a minimum of $15,000 is required for your team to take to the ice. If you have not raised the minimum before the tournament cut-off date of April 15th, 2017, your team will have to ride the bench this year.

2. Be a Free Agent. Can’t find a squad big enough to create a full-fledged team? Fundraise solo. After you’ve reached the minimum $1,000 goal, you will be placed on a team to play in the tournament.

3. Donate. Of course, if you’re not a skater, you can simply donate the old-fashioned way (or donate your time as a volunteer).
Confirmed NHL greats, in addition to the ones I mentioned above, can be found here. And check back often! They’ll be adding more alumni as the event draws near.

Bonus: if the chance to get up close and personal with hockey heroes, all while giving to a great cause, isn’t enough motivation, there are even more rewards up for grabs! My fave? The Top Fundraising Team of the Year receives a round-trip to Montreal for the ENTIRE team to watch a Montreal Canadiens 2017/ 2018 season home game from the comfort of an exclusive private suite at the Bell Centre (transportation and accommodation included.) Now THAT’s something to shoot for!

Hurry! You only have until April 15, 2017 to register and meet the minimum fundraising goals to hit the ice at this life-changing event. For more information, visit www.baycrestproam.ca.

This post is sponsored by Baycrest Health Sciences. The opinions on this blog, as always, are my own.