INNISFAIL – Innisfail minor hockey will be front and centre during the Larry Reid Memorial Coaching Development Fund two-year anniversary celebration.
Members with the 1962-63 Innisfail Pontiacs midget hockey team, who established the fund, are gathering in Innisfail for their second reunion and will be holding an information session and media conference at the Innisfail Golf Club on July 5 and 6.
“The Pontiacs are really excited to come home to Innisfail and showcase the great progress that has been made on the Larry Reid Memorial Coaching Development Fund and (give) details to preserve the fund in perpetuity,” said Al Scott, Pontiacs alumni and board president.
The development fund was created in 2017 to salute the Pontiacs' former minor hockey coach Larry Reid and give back to the Innisfail community.
They recently established the Innisfail Pontiacs Alumni Foundation to manage the development fund.
“We’ve already been giving regular donations on a yearly basis to Innisfail minor hockey and we have some exciting news to announce about how far we are towards our goal of $70,000 in the fund,” said Scott.
“There’s some good news about the Pontiacs stepping up again with another round of pledges and donations with the team.”
Scott said they are expecting several alumni members for the reunion the Friday evening of July 5 and close to the same for the information session and media conference on the Saturday.
“This update is just to provide details of what’s happened, a celebration of all the successes and the great plans for the future,” said Scott.
In addition, the event will include a signing of an official agreement between the Pontiacs, as well as details of the fund for Innisfail Minor Hockey Association (IMHA). There will be a cheque presentation to IMHA representing the 2019 grant, and executives with IMHA will speak on the positive impact funding has had on its programs.
There will also be an unveiling of a tribute to Larry Reid.
Scott said anyone from the community and Innisfail minor hockey is welcome to attend the event on July 6.
Doors open at the Innisfail Golf Club at 10 a.m. with the information session beginning at 10:30 a.m.
“We think anybody who’s interested in sports or particularly hockey, might be interested in seeing what this group of guys have done for Innisfail and minor hockey.”
