Huntsville Forester

The South Muskoka Minor Hockey Association is looking for generous souls to help provide a hot meal for participants of a tournament this month.

The organization is slated to host the Novice Tyke Select tournament March 22 to 24. With 16 teams and associated families needing to be fed, volunteer Paula Crockford says the association needs all the help it can get.

“I am required to feed all the players, their siblings and family members,” she said. “And that is turning into anywhere between 750 to potentially 1,000 people.”

Crockford said prize donations are also being sought for the event, which features a silent auction. Food donations needed include macaroni, cheese, milk, pop, napkins, plates and forks. Green cabbage, carrots, onions and butter is also needed.

Already, she said members of the community have come forward to lend a helping hand. Together with his culinary class, local high school teacher Daryl Underwood will be helping with food preparations.

“Bracebridge and Muskoka Lakes Secondary School has graciously volunteered to cook all the food for us, and that’s a lot of food,” said Crockford.

The organization, she says, is extremely grateful for the show of generosity that it’s already received from locals and sponsors.

The tournament itself features 256 players across 16 teams, all between the ages of five and eight. The tournament’s two hosting teams are the South Muskoka Terry’s Independent Tyke Select Bears and the South Muskoka NorStar Novice Bears.

“A majority of the teams are coming from the Niagara and surrounding area, so they are travelling a good distance for this,” said NorStar Novice Bears manager Melissa Downer.

In the tyke contingent, competing teams include the Brock Wild, the Barrie Colts, the Erin Hillsburgh Devils, the Ilderton Jets, Stouffville Clippers, the Caledon Hawks, and the Port Perry Predators.

In the novice contingent, the Bears’ rivals include the Ingersol Express, the Erin Hillsburgh Devils, the Lincoln Blades, the Ayr Flames, the Glanbrook Rangers, the Welland Tigers and the Midland Centennials.

For more information, please contact Crockford at p.crockford@hotmail.com or by phone at 705-645-9624.