In just under a year, Humboldt will be teeming with tourists here to take in one of Canadian hockey's biggest shows.
And the year of events leading up to that grand occasion, the 2012 RBC Cup, Canada's junior A hockey championships, officially kicked off in Civic Park on May 12, with a well-attended barbecue.
Approximately 500 people came out to the park to sign up as volunteers - about 300 in total are needed - eat some pulled pork and listen to some very short speeches about the "Road to the RBC Cup."
"It's great to see everyone out here. A lot of this energy and enthusiasm started with Hockeyville," said Mayor Malcolm Eaton, who was decked out in his own Humboldt Broncos jersey for the occasion.
In 2009, Humboldt and area came together in an attempt to be named Hockeyville in Canada, and ended up coming in second to Terrace, British Columbia.
"I wonder what they're doing in Terrace today," Eaton grinned. "Or in May 2012. We ended up being the big winners from Hockeyville," he said.
The barbecue was just the first of a year of activities that will take place in Humboldt and area leading up to the week-long RBC Cup tournament, Eaton noted.
The event, he added, is all about the Humboldt Broncos, who hope to repeat as national champions next season - they won the title in 2003 and 2008 - but it's also all about the community, Eaton said.
Organizers want to make it a real community event, and not one just about hockey, he said.
They want to do what they did with the Humboldt is Hockeyville campaign, and pull in all the different parts of the community, not just those connected with hockey, or even sports.
"It's going to be a lot of work," he said of hosting this event. "There's going to be a lot of opportunities to volunteer..., a lot of opportunities to be a part of this. Find out where you can help. There's a job here for everybody. It's going to be great hosting Canada here in May 2012," he concluded.
Adele Failler of PotashCorp Lanigan, a major sponsor of the 2012 RBC Cup in Humboldt, also spoke at the barbecue about her company's involvement in this event.
"We are thrilled to be a part of this event that's coming up," she said. "It's something that will showcase minor hockey and our Humboldt Broncos," as well as celebrate 100 years of hockey in Saskatchewan, she added.
PotashCorp tries to get involved and help nearby communities as much as possible, and with this RBC Cup, "we're going to do exactly that," she said.
2012 RBC Cup organizational committee co-chair Jeff Bunko also spoke, handing out thank-yous and showing off one of the T-shirts that has been designed to help promote the cup in Humboldt.
He is excited, he added, for what the community will be doing a year from now.
"Thanks for coming out. See you in a year. Go Broncos go," he concluded.
