In December, Reid Kimmett said he and the other organizers of the Kimmett Cup wanted to “do something big” in honour of the fifth running of the pond hockey tournament. And, on Jan. 18-19, they did just that.
Kimmett Cup 5 saw 48 teams hit ice surfaces at Mitford Ponds and the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre. It ran in conjunction with Martin Parnell’s Hockey Quest 500 attempt to set a Guinness world record for the most players in an exhibition hockey game.
And, in honour of Lindsay Kimmett and the Lindsay Leigh Kimmett Memorial Foundation, the tournament raised a significant amount of money for Parnell’s Quest for Kids and ultimately, for Right To Play International.
“The final count isn’t in, but I’m confident we are nearing our goal of raising $100,000 for Right To Play,” said Kimmett, Lindsay’s brother and one of the event’s organizers.
Each dollar raised will be matched four times over by Parnell’s partners with Right To Play, bringing the grand total to $400,000. Parnell said that is enough to bring weekly sport and play programs to 8,000 kids for an entire year.
This is a cause Kimmett said he sister would love.
“This whole event, it’s my favourite (weekend) of the year but also the most difficult,” he said. “Everyone is laughing and having a good time, many people are here as a family. I always think, if she were here, how much she would love what we are doing.”
As for the Guinness world record, Parnell said he hasn’t heard yet if it’s been officially set. But, with the record never being attempted before and by adhering to all of the Guinness stipulations, Parnell said he’s confident the record will be made.
“The whole weekend was unbelievable and thrilling,” he said of the fundraising effort. “The community of Cochrane, once again, stepped forward.”
The Hell Benders won the competitive division, while Oilers Suck won on the recreational side.
The funds raised between both the Kimmett Cup and Hockey Quest 500 will add to Parnell’s tally for Quest for Kids, in which Parnell is gunning for a grand total of $1 million.
Parnell’s next quest, Kilimanjaro Quest 95.2, sees the marathon man travelling to Tanzania for March 3’s Kilimanjaro Marathon, followed by guided trek up Kilimanjaro on March 6.
Traditionally, guided hikes up the African mountain take five days, said Parnell. He’s attempting the climb in 24 hours.
“This one worries me,” he confessed. “The elevation (more than 19,000 feet) issue and the possibility of sickness is concerning. Plus, the climb itself is a huge risk. I think there is about a 50/50 chance of completing it.”
For any additional information on the Quest for Kids, visit righttoplay.com/canada/get-involved/Pages/QuestsforKids.aspx. To learn more about the Kimmett Cup and the Lindsay Leigh Kimmett Memorial Foundation, check out lindsaykimmett.org.
