The organizers of inaugural Airdrie Regional Recreation Enhancement Society (ARRES) Winter Challenge hockey game have all of the final preparations ready for this weekend.
The game, set for 3 p.m. on March 24 at the Ron Ebbesen Arena, will feature a team of Airdrie celebrities and community members against a 16-member team of former NHL players and Calgary Flames alumni.
Sheldon Kennedy, Ron Stern, Jeff Shantz, Warren Skorodenski, Tony Stiles, Dennis Polonich, Todd Holt, Archie “Big Daddy” Henderson, Colin Forbes and Mark Astley have all confirmed for the NHL/Calgary team.
ARRES is a non-profit organization raising funds for phase three at Genesis Place. Together with the Ice Users Alliance of Airdrie Minor Hockey, the Airdrie Skating Club and Airdrie Ringette, ARRES is trying to raise $4 million as the community’s share of phase three’s $20 million overall cost.
Game tickets, which were still available as of press time, are $10 each or $30 for a family (two adults and two children) and available at Boston Pizza, Genesis Place and the office of Airdrie Minor Hockey. A VIP event with the Flames Alumni will be held at Boston Pizza after the game.
There will also be a silent auction at the game and a silent and live auction at the VIP event after the game. Items to be auctioned off include signed Flames jerseys by Mikka Kiprusoff and Mark Giordano, a Bernie Federko signed jersey and a Polonich signed Detroit Red Wings captain’s jersey.
Other items include Flames and Roughnecks tickets, as well as hockey skates signed by Lanny McDonald, Dana Murzyn, Jim Peplinski, Joel Otto and others, and numerous signed pucks and pictures from many NHL players, including Gordie Howe and Bryan Trottier.
CrossFit Edge Airdrie and Visalus Health have also supplied an array of products and services.
