Smiles were abound at Rogers Hometown Hockey that wrapped up Sunday in downtown Williams Lake.
Earlier in the day, before the live broadcast game between the Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens, host Tara Slone gave a huge ‘thank you’ to the City of Williams Lake with Mayor Walt Cobb addressing the crowd.
“When I first got the email about Rogers Hometown Hockey, I was debating what I should do because we had the summer from hell as we know and I wasn’t sure that our volunteers were up to anything else, but as you can see with the help of Rogers Hometown, our volunteers they pulled this off,” he said.
“Thank you, thank you! This is going to show that Williams Lake is the best place to live, work, and play.”
Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett says she couldn’t have asked for anything more than to see children so happy and engaged by sport.
“Williams Lake is part of the Cariboo Chilcotin who went through devastation everywhere so hats off to everybody. There’s always things that bring you together; there’s tragedy, there’s kindness, and there’s hockey.”
Williams Lake Minor Hockey players were featured in the Parade of Champions leading up to Sunday’s pre-game show, which saw featured presentations on the Williams Lake Fire Department, the Williams Lake Stampeders, Rusty Patenaude, and Anahim Lake-born goaltender Carey Price.
Learn more about @CP0031‘s connection to @CityWL and how’s he’s helping a young netminder find his way to the @NHL. https://t.co/NDqQanlJ69
— Hometown Hockey (@hometownhockey_) January 8, 2018
The Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour, which visits 24 cities across Canada in 26 weeks, will make it’s next stop in Kamloops.
Rogers Hometown Hockey Coordinator for the City of Williams Lake Deb Radolla says they will be having an event with volunteers on Thursday in thanking them for their hours of service.
“I feel a little overwhelmed by how supportive this community has been throughout the course of this weekend, how many smiling faces I have seen here on site. It’s just been a fantastic visit for us,” said Tara Slone.
ICYMI: 2006 @Canucks draft pick and @CityWL native Evan Fuller joined @RonMacLeanHTH and @TaraSlone to talk about growing up with @CP0031 and the Fuller family’s hockey legacy. pic.twitter.com/Mv2vZnWLFI
— Hometown Hockey (@hometownhockey_) January 8, 2018