MOOSE JAW — There were no strikeouts at this lunch hour — just sizzling burgers, smiling faces, and a show of hometown pride, as Moose Jaw rallied behind its Major AAA Little League team during a special fundraiser at the Moose Jaw Co-op recently.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., staff, players, and parents gathered outside the Co-op Food Store for a community barbecue fundraiser, with 100 per cent of proceeds going toward travel costs for the team’s upcoming trip to the Little League Canadian Championship in Victoria, B.C., set for July 29 to Aug. 7.
“It’s just a way that the Co-op can help give back and really get the community involved,” said Michaela Turner, director of community engagement at the Moose Jaw Co-op.
The event offered cheeseburgers and cold drinks for $6 and attracted a steady stream of supporters throughout the lunch hour. Several local businesses also contributed with large pre-orders and donations, including Henderson Insurance and Doepker Industries.
“This is an exciting run for this Moose Jaw team, and we encourage everybody to check it out, watch the games … and cheer for them,” Turner said. “This is a big deal … It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to Little League Canadians … and we’re happy to support them and do what we can to give back.”
Remy Thibeault, a Co-op employee and father of player Vaughn Thibeault, helped co-ordinate the event and said it was all about rallying community support.
“My son actually plays on the team … (and) we wanted to offer a fundraiser out to the boys, to help them raise proceeds for their trip to Victoria next week, where they’re going to be playing in the Canadians,” he said. “Co-op offered to donate all of the supplies and the space, as long as the boys and their families came out to work it.”
With their bats hot and confidence high, the team punched their ticket to Canadians after stringing together a winning season and proving themselves as the team to beat in Saskatchewan.
“It’s pretty epic,” Thibeault said. “Last year the boys had an amazing team. They made it to provincials and won it as well, so then rolling into this year with a lot of the same guys, we had a great atmosphere. To watch them go, take the spring season, win that, and then move on with confidence into the summer … they’ve carried themselves well and played very well.
“We’re just excited to see them have the opportunity to go across Canada and play, and show what we can do here in Moose Jaw,” he added.
The fundraiser wasn’t just about dollars — it was about visibility. Thibeault said it was a chance for the team to “get their faces out in the community” and feel the pride that comes with hometown support.
“I just want to say thanks to the community for coming out and doing this for them. Everybody just wants to see them succeed,” Thibeault concluded. “It makes them feel 10 feet tall.”
For more information, visit MJLittleLeague.com.
