BONNYVILLE – It is official, the Winterland Invitational youth hockey tournament is returning to the Lakeland this Family Day weekend.
The Winterland Invitational is a U9, U11 and U13 hockey tournament organized by Ronald McDonald House Charities and will be hosted between Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Glendon and Elk Point.
In Bonnyville, games will be held at the Bonnyville and District Centennial Centre (C2).
“I'm really glad to see this back alive again. I’ve missed it,” said Town Coun. Brian McEvoy, during a regular council meeting on Jan. 24. “It's always been an excellent event in the community and [has] drawn a lot of people here.”
The event will welcome 36 teams, an estimated 750 kids and their families, from across Alberta playing 63 games over the three-day tournament, from Feb 17-19.
The Winterland Invitational raises funds for the four Ronald McDonald Houses in Alberta, which supports hundreds of families by providing a home-away-from-home for those who need to travel for vital medical treatment for their seriously sick or injured child.
McEvoy moved that council provide the Ronald McDonald House Charities 2023 Winterland Invitational with an $8,000 sponsorship package. The motion was approved unanimously by council.
Information provided by Oreen Skiba, a provincial events senior manager for Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta, stated that event organizers have already secured $66,000 in sponsorships and another $48,000 in registration fees, so far.
Organizers are still seeking to raise another $153,000 for the event to help cover the cost of ice and other expenses.
Town council approved an “Ice Level” sponsorship package for the Winterland Invitational at the same amount provided in previous years.
