The Vytality Vipers strike again at the 2023 Gordie Howe CARES ProAm hockey tournament
We’re just days away from one of our favourite events of the year, the Gordie Howe CARES ProAm hockey tournament held here in Calgary. It’s a unique fundraising event held at the Flames Community Arena, where teams of amateur hockey players get to play alongside their heroes from the NHL Alumni.
Starting on Saturday 27th May 2023, the tournament is a hectic two days where the amateur teams compete against each other on the ice. The teams also compete to raise the highest amount of funds for Gordie Howe C.A.R.E.S. dementia awareness. The top fundraising team get to play a special game against a team of NHL Alumni in the grand finale of the tournament.
As per last year, all the money raised by this popular Calgary fundraising event supports people affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia by helping fund research and awareness of Alzheimer’s, dementia and dementia related behaviours. It’s something that company co-founders Nicole Dyer and Brad Lohman feel passionate about, which is why Vytality at Home are a Silver sponsor for the entire event.
You can support the event and dementia awareness by sponsoring Brad as Team Captain of the our team the Vytality Vipers via clicking here.
The Vipers strike again!
As per last year, we’ve entered our own team, the Vytality Vipers. This week, we’re busy practicing hard under the watchful eye of our latest coach, Vytality’s co-founder Brad Lohman! Brad was player and Team Captain last year but sadly pulled his patella back in the autumn, and he’s not back to full fitness yet. So he’ll be coaching and cheering from the sidelines across the weekend instead!
Even before you can enter a team in the Gordie Howe Pro Am, you have to raise a minimum of $25,000. Across the 2022 weekend, we had so much additional sponsorship/donations for the team that we raised an impressive $38,500. The fundraising target for the whole event is set at $1m, and already at the time of writing (Weds 24 May am), it’s exceeded that goal with $1,125,573 raise so far!
Please support the Vytality Vipers and dementia awareness by making a donation now! To date, we’ve already raised $31,747, but we’d love to exceed our 2022 total by miles!
Meet the Vytality Vipers
Our fabulous team of hockey weekend warriors at the Flames Community Arena in Calgary this year are:
- Brett Anderson
- Joshua Benjamin
- Michael Coutts
- Craig Dunn
- Kris Eacrett
- Ken Fung
- Alexander Gregory
- Jason Oakey
- Ben Storey
- Jamie Turner
- Andrew Walker
- Arron Young
To support the Vipers, why not make a player’s day and donate in their name? Simply visit this page and click on a name in the Team Roster. This takes you to their Personal Page, where you click the blue DONATE NOW button!
The Friday night draft
On Friday night, each team is allocated a NHL Alumni player to play on their team and help raise their game! Last year, we were thrilled to draft NHL Alumni Ethan Moreau onto our team, and the 2022 Vipers really benefitted from his experience, advice and enthusiasm. We have no idea who we might draft this year, but that’s why this tournament is so much fun! We’ll keep you posted on social media…
The Vipers in action
Each team in the tournament gets to play three games. In 2023, Vytality Vipers team have two games on Saturday, and one on Sunday as follows:.
Saturday May 27th 2023
11:45am – 12:45am at the Blue Rink
Vytality Vipers v Scotia Storm
1:15pm – 2:15pm at the Gold Rink
Vytality Vipers v Mighty Misfits
Sunday May 28th 2023
10:00am – 11:00am on the Blue Rink
Vytality Vipers v El Fuego
Caring for the caregivers
The Gordie Howe C.A.R.E.S. supports caregivers too, such an important and demanding role for so many. As the organization says:
“Gordie Howe CARES provides education and support to the caregivers that selflessly dedicate their time caring for loved ones affected with Alzheimer’s and dementia related diseases, so they are never alone on their journey.“
Please donate if you can. Whatever you can donate will go to this cause very close to our hearts, and help people living with or alongside dementia in Calgary.
Show your support on social media
Go on, wish us good luck on Facebook, Twitter, Insta, TikTok and more, by sharing this post using the Share icons below.
Or write your own and and use the social media tags: #gordiehowecaresproam #calgaryhockey #VytalityVipers #GoTheVipers
Then, keep an eye on our social media for updates and results from the events as it happens!
Instagram @vytalityathome
Facebook @VytalityAtHome
LinkedIn @vytality-at-home
