Kindersley is hosting the World Junior "A" hockey challenge Dec. 14-20 and Unity will be hosting a pre-tournament event
Dec. 12 the arena will host a pre-tournament game that includes the Russian national junior A squad versus Team Canada East. The organizing committee is headed by long-time hockey host, Rick Hill. He first approached the idea over a year ago, and was joined by Rick Blanchette. Joining them is Unity's Parks and Recreation Director Nicole Goldsworthy, Economic Development Co-ordinator Carey Baker, Shaun O'Brien, Wendel Jellison, Dan Feser, Gerald Hauta and Megan Schweitzer.
This committee will need to enlist the help of many volunteers to pull off an all-day event that is in the planning stages. Tickets will be on sale soon and will be available at Cinema Satellite, Wildeman's Sports store and the town office, with advance tickets being only $12 and tickets purchased at the door selling for $15.
Hockey Canada is arranging the schedule for the players for the day and they will be in Unity along with a contingent of other dignitaries from hockey circles to take part in the pre-tournament event. Some of the potential events of the day will include a minor hockey skate and skills practice with the teams. More special activities are in the works but as this whole event planning process had transpired in the past week, nothing is finalized as of yet.
Folks can watch for ads in the newspaper, posters around town, Facebook page postings as well as minor hockey updates. Another exciting addition to the day's event is Ruth Cey once again leading the UCHS journalism class in live coverage. Cey says her co-leader, Living Sky School Division's technology expert Ryan Kobelsky from Wilkie, is a very big part of what the journalism class can achieve.
The committee has earmarked profits to go towards Unity minor hockey, as well as a portion to the Unity Miner's club. They also have decided there will be a special project that some of these proceeds will be specifically aimed towards that will benefit arena improvements.
