What it's all about...

On Saturday Feb 19^th, 2011 at the Master Card Centre, the Toronto HC faced off against Montreal for their last meeting of the regular season. Saturdays match up was not your regular CWHL game, the game was held as a fundraising event put on for the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) and turned out to be a great success. There were over 500 people in attendance and many fun events for all those involved. In support of the CNIB, the players all wore sun glasses for the anthem, which was sung by an amazing visually impaired individual who blew everyone away with his beautiful voice.

Some of the other events throughout the game were silent auction, chuck a puck, 50/50 but the highlight of the night was getting to experience watching the Ice Owls, a Toronto based visually impaired hockey team who played in between the first and second period. The goalies are completely blind and they play with a larger “puck” that makes sound and cannot be lifted above 3 feet off the ice within the rules of the game. What motivating and talented individuals that show us that nothing should stand in your way of doing what you love.

Following the game we held a “Skate with the Champions” which was very well attended and a fun opportunity for the players to interact with fans of all ages, taking home pictures and autographs from all the players on both teams.

We would like to say a huge thank-you for all those involved helping make the event such a success, to the fans who came out to support the CWHL and the CNIB and also to the players on both teams for sharing your time helping instill dreams in so many young players.

Montreal ended up on the winning side, defeating Toronto 4-2 solidifying their hold on first place in the league. For more details on playoffs and the Clarkson Cup, visit www.cwhl.ca or find us on Twitter and Facebook. For more information on the CNIB or on how you can show your support go to www.cnib.ca

Written by Haleigh Callison

Photos provided by Brandon Taylor – Pro Am Images

Aloha Canada!!!

Ariez, a small paper version of a student from Aikahi Elementary School in Hawaii recently made a visit to Brampton. A class from the school is participating in The Flat Stanley Project. The Flat Stanley Project grew out of a classic children's book by the same name, written by Jeff Brown. In the story, Stanley, a regular boy, is squashed flat by a falling bulletin board. On the bright side, he discovers that his parents can slip him into an envelope and mail him to visit friends in faraway places. In real life, students in thousands of classrooms around the world participate in the Flat Stanley Project. There are many versions of the project, however the main theme is that students create a ‘flat Stanley’, either a copy of the boy from the book or make paper versions of themselves, and are sent all over the world where their adventures are recorded and sent back to the student to learn about different cultures. During Ariez’s stop in Brampton, she was able to watch a Canadian Women’s Hockey League game when the Brampton HC hosted the Montreal HC on February 20^th. Ariez was not only able to experience elite women’s hockey, but was greeted by Brampton HC’s Jayna Hefford and Gillian Apps who were happy to show her their Olympic Gold Medals.

Provided by Shelby Baker

FANS INVITED TO MEET OLYMPIC STARS IN CHARITY HOCKEY EVENT

For Immediate Release

FANS INVITED TO MEET OLYMPIC STARS IN CHARITY HOCKEY EVENT

Canadian Women’s Hockey League plans fundraiser for CNIB

TORONTO – On Saturday evening, February 19, come out and see the best in women’s hockey. Then stay – and skate – as the fun continues.

The Toronto Hockey Club of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) is scheduled to play Montreal at 6:15 p.m. at Master Card Centre arena. This game between two highly skilled teams will feature seven gold-medal Olympians: Kim St-Pierre, Caroline Ouellette, Sarah Vaillantcourt, Julie Chu, Tessa Bonhomme and Jennifer Botterill, and Sami Jo Small.

Sami Jo Small has close connections with the CNIB, noting “I come from a long line of optometrists and my family would always volunteer at the CNIB in Winnipeg. I’d go in to read books to the blind. I know how important vision health is and I have a very close family connection to the CNIB and so I brought it to the team.”

“When the idea came up, the whole team came together to tackle the various tasks to make the event happen. I feel really positive about how hard we’ve worked to help out a great cause,” added Haleigh Callison.

The game will feature door prizes, a Silent Auction, a section for visually impaired fans with LIVE play-by-play, an autograph session, and for a $5 donation you can take to the ice and skate with the players after the game. Other surprises will also occur on Saturday making this game extra special!

All of the extras for Saturday’s game were organized by an already busy team that must balance, work, hockey, school, and other commitments, but Alexandra Hoffmeyer understands that “any time you are in the position where you can help out a greater cause, I think it's really important to do so. I've spent many years playing hockey and being taught the importance of giving back to a community that supports you.” She continued, saying “because we have this platform and many players on our team are in the spotlight even more given their status as Olympians, I think it is a great chance to help organizations such as CNIB in generating more awareness and funds using this reach.”

The CNIB provides valuable support and resources to those affected by vision loss in Canada. As of 2007 there were over 108,000 legally blind Canadians and many more that experience partial vision loss.

No tickets required. Entrance to the game and festivities is free when accompanied with a donation to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. For game spectators with a visual impairment, a special seating section has been set up to provide live play-by-play. The Master Card Centre is located at 400 Kipling Avenue in Toronto.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION

Event Media

Angela Di Stasi

416-599-9900 ext.229

adistasi@newscanada.com

Chief Organizer CWHL

Sami Jo Small

416-524-7625

samismall@hotmail.com

Toronto Media Relations

Meg Black

416-436-9575

Ms.megblack@gmail.com

Fans Invited to Meet Olympic Stars at Women's Hockey Game

Canadian Women's Hockey League Plans Fundraiser for CNIB

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 11, 2011) - On Saturday evening, February 19, come out and see the best in women's hockey. Then stay – and skate – as the fun continues.

The Toronto Hockey Club of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL) is scheduled to play the Montreal team at 6:15 p.m. in the arena of the Master Card Centre. You are invited to this highly skilled sports event – and so are seven gold-medal Olympians: Kim St-Pierre, Caroline Ouellette, Sarah Vaillantcourt, Julie Chu, Sami Jo Small, Tessa Bonhomme and Jennifer Botterill.

At a designated time during the evening, game spectators will be invited onto the ice for another highlight: Skate With The Champions. For a $5 donation per person, this will be your chance to mix and mingle, say hello to players, get your autographs, and encourage your kids to feel like little Olympians too. Door prizes and other surprises are in store including a Silent Auction fundraiser with several must-have items.

No tickets required. Entrance to the game and festivities is free when accompanied with a donation to the Canadian National Institute For The Blind. For game spectators with a visual impairment, a special seating section has been set up to provide live and up-close, play-by-play. The Master Card Centre is located at 400 Kipling Avenue in Toronto.

Clarkson Cup heading to Barrie - Feb 5th 2011

Clarkson Cup heading to Barrie

Clarkson Cup heading to Barrie. Barrie will play home to the biggest annual event in women’s hockey. The Clarkson Cup will be contested at The Barrie Molson Centre from March 24 to 27. Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman drops the puck for Haleigh Callison, left, and Olympian Sami Jo Small during the event's announcement. Stan Howe photo

Barrie will play home to the biggest annual event in women’s hockey. The Clarkson Cup will be contested at The Barrie Molson Centre from March 24 to 27. Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman drops the puck for Haleigh Callison, left, and Olympian Sami Jo Small during the event's announcement.

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Name This

History Television is doing a segment on the Toronto HC to try and find a name for the club. Check out the link below to see the video and if you have any suggestions for names we'd love to hear them!! There is only 550 on there as of right now.... :-) Not a bad start!!!

http://namethis.ca/