Hopefully your hockey sticks are taped and your skates are sharpened, because the fifth annual Kimmett Cup is only a few weeks away.
Held to honour the memory of Lindsay Kimmett and to raise funds for the Lindsay Leigh Kimmett Memorial Foundation, the pond hockey tournament has already chalked up 48 registered teams, said tournament organizers. The pucks will be dropping on Jan. 18-19 at the Mitford Ponds and the Spray Lakes Sawmill Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC).
This year, teams will have the option of playing in competitive, recreation or fun divisions.
“It’s been five years since the (Kimmett Cup) began, and we really wanted to do something big,” said Reid Kimmett, one of the event’s organizers and the brother of the tournament’s namesake.
So this year, the tournament’s organizers partnered up with local marathon runner Martin Parnell and his five-year quest to raise $1 million for Right To Play — a children’s charity that brings sport to disadvantaged areas worldwide. Together, they spearheaded Hockey Quest 500, an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the most participants to play in an exhibition hockey game.
Each participant will be on the ice for 10 minutes of the game.
“We want to set a record that will last a long time — just like Lindsay’s legacy,” said Kimmett.
Hockey Quest 500 will run in the SLSFSC alongside the Kimmett Cup tournament play on Jan. 19. A silent auction and a dinner will be held that evening.
Between the two events, Kelly Kimmett said the goal is to raise $100,000 for Right To Play.
Coupled with aid from Parnell’s supporters, this number will be matched three times over, for a total of $400,000.
In the spirit of the charity, both Kelly Kimmett and Parnell have agreed to don pink tutus for the event if they each raise $10,000.
So far, Kimmett is the only one to reach that goal.
Donations can be made to player’s personal pages by visiting righttoplay.akaraisin.com/hockeyquest500.
Currently, there is a wait list to participate in the Kimmett Cup, but potential players can still sign up for Hockey Quest 500.
And if hockey isn’t your game, Kelly Kimmett said there are still plenty of opportunities to volunteer, buy raffle tickets or drop off used hockey gear.
For more information on the 2013 Kimmett Cup or Hockey Quest 500 visit lindsaykimmett.org or email [email protected].
