Over the February 20th to 23rd weekend, the annual Charity tournament that has been running for over 20 years, and for the past six years, The Jumpstart Hockey Tournament in Sault Ste Marie have proudly partnered with Canadian Tire to support the Jumpstart program in our community.
The organizers, Heather Nieson and Albert Williams are thrilled to share that, through the dedication of our participants and supporters, we have raised over $200,000 for our local Jumpstart chapter to date. This year alone, we achieved a record-breaking fundraising total of over $51,000 —our best year yet!
This year’s tournament saw participation from 11 women’s teams and 8 men’s teams. The top men’s team was the Hurricanes, raising $4,395, while the top women’s team, Missing Lynx, raised an impressive $9,220.
Our top individual fundraisers were:
- Lori Swan: $6,600
- Annelind Syrette: $4,000
- Andrea Widgett: $3,720
As a special recognition, the top fundraisers were each awarded two tickets and flights to an Ottawa Senators game, generously donated by Canadian Tire.
Heather and Williams were also honoured to welcome Glenn McLean, Jumpstart Relationship Manager, who travelled from Winnipeg to attend the event. Having him witness firsthand the impact of our efforts was truly meaningful for our entire community.
Nieson and Williams are deeply grateful to the many small businesses who donated prizes, and to our dedicated volunteers whose time and effort were instrumental in making this weekend a success. Every dollar raised remains in our community, directly supporting local children and helping them participate in sports and play.
Heather Nieson and Albert Williams are already looking forward to next year’s tournament and hope to build on this year’s success.
About Jumpstart
Champions of Community. Champions of Play.
Founded in 2005, Jumpstart helps kids overcome financial and accessibility barriers to sport and recreation in an effort to provide inclusive play for kids of all abilities.
Jumpstart is more than just about getting kids active. It’s about giving kids from families in financial need the same chance to participate as their neighbours, their classmates and their friends. Whether it’s the chance to try a new sport or to continue with a favourite one, no kid should be left out.
