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Taking to the ice for Humboldt

The men and women who are the first responders are reacting quickly to help those who wore a Humboldt Bronco jersey.
Okotoks deputy fire chief Dwight Seymour and Okotoks Const. Kurt Thomas will square off in the Battle of the Badges charity hockey game on April 23 at Pason Centennial Arena.
Okotoks deputy fire chief Dwight Seymour and Okotoks Const. Kurt Thomas will square off in the Battle of the Badges charity hockey game on April 23 at Pason Centennial Arena. Proceeds will go to the Humboldt Broncos.

The men and women who are the first responders are reacting quickly to help those who wore a Humboldt Bronco jersey.

Members of Foothills area RCMP, fire departments and emergency services will join forces on the ice for the Battle of the Badges hockey game on April 23 at the Pason Centennial Arena to support those affected by the Humboldt Broncos bus crash.

“I was speaking with (Const. Greg Noren) of High River and he asked if maybe we could do something to help in light of this Humboldt tragedy,” said Okotoks Const. Kurt Thomas.

He said initial plans are to raise funds for Humboldt Bronco Ryan Straschnitzki of Airdrie, who was paralyzed from the chest down after the collision.

“The target is towards that individual, but obviously, we need to have to get this approved, if not proceeds will go towards the Humboldt Broncos hockey program.”

Thomas said he has looked at RCMP social media outlets and saw some of the testimonials of first responders at the bus crash in Saskatchewan. Sixteen people were killed as a result of the crash on April 6.

“To hear some of the stories from some of the members in the area, it was just horrific… I have been to enough fatal collisions to just imagine what that looked like… I remember everyone of the fatalities I have been to,” Thomas said. “We just thought ‘what can we do in this small town of Okotoks to help with this tragedy.”

He said many Foothills first responders spent part of their youth riding the buses playing sports — including Thomas who played a high-level of junior hockey in the Maritimes.

“The buses are your homes away from home — that is where your friends are made,” Thomas said. “I remember taking a bus from Fredericton to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and it was the best time of my life. You talk about everything and anything.

“To be involved in an accident like that, it would like losing a brother or sister.”

Okotoks deputy fire chief Dwight Seymour played junior hockey in Manitoba.

“I have been spent countless hours on those buses,” Seymour said.

He added he has daughters playing the national game, one playing in a major hockey school in Manitoba.

“She has made many trips from B.C. to Manitoba, and anyone of them….” Seymour said.

He said like all Canadians, Foothills responders’ hearts are going out to the Humboldt Bronco community and the first responders.

“This hockey game is just something we can do to help,” he said.

The Battle of the Badges is April 23 at 6 p.m. at the Pason.

Tickets are on sale at the High River, Okotoks and Turner Valley RCMP Detachments or by contacting Thomas at 780-887-5717. They are available starting Monday, April 16.

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