TAIT: Oilers Community Foundation helps foster spirit of hockey
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It’s getting bigger Edmonton, isn’t it?
With the Edmonton Oilers about to start Round 2 with the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the temperature of the atmospheric pressure is quickly rising.
Meet Myrna Khan, the larger-than-life Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation executive direction who coined a phrase I think of every day because it’s just so darn … well, you decide for yourself.
The spirit of hockey.
I’m going to type those four words again because I think it is so profoundly encompassing.
The spirit of hockey.
Pretty cool, don’t you think?
Sure, it’s playoff time, when every shot, save, pass, faceoff and so many other hockey fundamentals are so very important.
Yet, our community, Edmonton and surrounding area commonly known as Oil Country by the Oilers, with folks in a myriad of challenging situations, can use one small thing that means so much.
That thing?
Hope.
Since the community foundation’s 2001 humble start, more than 2,900 charitable organizations and minor hockey programs have received funding.
The Oilers also govern the most successful game day 50/50 draw in professional sports.
Fans looked at many flashing numbers at Wednesday’s Oilers game when they dispatched the L.A. Kings in Game 5 of their Stanley Cup playoffs.
Most notable, other than Edmonton’s 4-3 win, was the $2.8 million 50/50 jackpot.
In the past two seasons, $20 million and $17 million was generated, respectively, for an incredible $37 million over two years.
The spirit of hockey.
Getting skates and gloves on hands, fitting skates and socks on feet, pads for knees, elbows and the most important piece of equipment — helmets — to kids who wouldn’t normally be able to play is a great thing the community foundation does.
Thoughts of making the National Hockey League is good for a youngster’s ambition portfolio.
Sometimes those dreams triumphantly render themselves in live Technicolor, something to be heartily celebrated.
Such an achievement stems from hard work, discipline and sacrifice — life skills which are learned and are applied to a lifelong list of “must haves.”
Success comes in so many things other than hockey.
The community foundation has creatively come up with ways of funding programs to help hockey become inclusive and meaningful for people who can’t physically play the game, but can learn and grow from hockey.
This is close to home for yours truly.
I have cerebral palsy and can’t play the game.
Yet, my parents brought a tall stool and planted all four legs in the snowbank on the southside of the Lynnwood Community League outdoor rink 60 years ago so I could sit and watch my first hockey game.
That was opening night for a lifetime schedule of hockey games where I learned about power plays, breakouts, penalty kills and many other things.
More importantly, I made lifelong friends, learned the value of how to compete, how to respect and treat people, and how to change the game plan on the turn of a dime.
I never played a game.
Ah, yes. The spirit of hockey.
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