Two central Alberta charities have once again received an extremely generous donation from Curtis Glencross & Friends, totaling $170,000. 

Hockey Alberta Foundation’s ‘Every Kid, Every Community’ program and the Ronald MacDonald House Charities will share the proceeds from the 8th Annual Glencross Invitational Charity Roughstock Event. 

New this year, a truck raffle was also included to help engage residents and build up the donations to these community groups. That truck was taken home by Red Deer resident Mike Commodore. 

Getting back to the cause at hand, the funds raised through this annual event are able to help sustain community programs across the province, from Lethbridge to Fort Mac. 

In our own community, the effects of these donations and sponsorships were felt recently at West Park Elementary School, where Principal Katharyn Blades says the kids are thoroughly enjoying their new equipment. 

“Through the Hockey Alberta grant that we received - which was far larger than we could have ever imagined - we were able to replenish our skates, get proper fitting skates, get rid of the ones that weren’t serving us anymore,” Blades explained. 

“In the winter months, we have about two classes going out every period to skate for quite a while and we want to make sure that our children are safe while they’re playing, but our end goal is encouraging our children to lead healthy and active lives.”

She said many of the families who attend WPE are ESL families, new Canadians, and other families that aren’t necessarily able to prioritize spending on new skates, helmets or other equipment. 

“I have so much gratitude and appreciation. All you have to do is come over to our school and see our little young hearts skating up a storm, or even struggling on their first time on skates, and I don’t know if you can even imagine the impact it makes on the kids,” she said. 

“I’m sure that Curtis doing this repeatedly, year after year, he must be able to see that and know that, and we just have so much gratitude for him to show that and give back to his community this way.”

As far as the Ronald MacDonald House Charities, Glencross says it’s hard to meet someone who hasn’t been directly impacted through the facility, or who knows someone close to them who’s had to take up those services. 

“We’ve been very fortunate. We started volunteering at the Ronald MacDonald House in Calgary during my playing days, and we just loved what the house did for families in need. We’re now expecting our fifth child and are lucky we haven’t had to use the house personally, but everyone knows someone it seems or knows of someone...who’s had to use that house. They do an unbelievable job,” he said. 

The Ronald MacDonald House in Red Deer not only serves families who are from out-of-town during their hospital stay but also has an extremely well-used day program that provides a hot meal, a place for kids to place and a break from the stress that families in our own community are facing. 

The funds for Ronald McDonald House go towards serving families, keeping the House operational, and ensuring that there are rooms available whenever they are needed.

“We want to thank Curtis, his family, and the hard-working committee and volunteers who made this event and raffle such a success. The impact of their donations over nearly a decade has increased our capacity to serve more families from more communities and we are incredibly grateful,” said Jason Evanson, CEO of RMHC Alberta. “Their efforts ensure that families are able to stay together when they need it most – during the serious illness or injury of their child.”

For the Hockey Alberta Foundation and Hockey Alberta, this funding goes to Every Kid Every Community, which has a goal of ensuring a pathway to play hockey for any child in Alberta who is interested in the sport.

“Curtis, his family, and the incredible group of volunteers supporting the Roughstock event and Truck Raffle have done an incredible job again this year raising funds to help families not just in central Alberta, but across the province,” said Tim Leer, Executive Director, Hockey Alberta Foundation. “The goal of Every Kid Every Community is to provide kids with the pathway to experience our great sport for the first time, and more kids now have that opportunity through program and player grants.”

Over the past eight years, Glencross & Friends has raised over $1.7 million for charities in Alberta.