On a day featuring NHL stars on an outdoor rink, community shined brightest.
Foothills MP John Barlow and Easter Seals teamed up to host the second annual Hockey for Horizon Celebrity Hockey Game in support of Camp Horizon on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Scott Seaman Sports Rink in Diamond Valley.
“A day like today means community support, it means spreading awareness, creating understanding,” said Nicole Langton, Directory of Philanthropy at Easter Seals. “And showcasing individuals like Elise, who was our ambassador, and how everybody can be a part of something.
“We’ve just got to give them the opportunity.”
Barlow said he went out and toured Camp Horizon soon after being elected and quickly picked up on what makes it such a special place.
“You see these kids and the smiles on their faces,” he said. “And it’s that one weekend of the year where they get to just be regular kids and not have to worry about all the other things that go around with being a kid with a disability.
“You couldn’t help but fall in love with it, so we really took it upon ourselves, my office, to partner with them on a couple of events.”
The celebrity hockey game is something Barlow picked up from his colleagues in eastern Canada. A hockey goalie at countless community events, it was a natural fit.
The Diamond Valley fixture featured a number of former NHL stars including Duane Sutter, Colin Patterson, Paul Kruse, Craig Levie and Rich Preston. Diamond Valley Coun. Brendan Kelly played the role of special guest referee.
“To give up their time and want to be a part of it, that just means so much,” Barlow said. “For the guys who get out there and get a chance to skate with them, no matter how old you are, you still feel like a kid out there.”
Having Sutter, a four-time Stanley Cup champion, bear down on him on a breakaway, was a pinch me moment for the Foothills MP.
“That was a little nerve-racking,” he said with a laugh. “Especially because he’s got this smile on him where he knows he’s going to eat my lunch, when he fanned on that I was pretty happy. I count that as a save.”
At the end of the day, it’s about awareness, added Barlow, who encourages people to tour what’s on offer at Camp Horizon.
“We want to introduce other people to the camp,” Barlow said. “I don’t think a lot of people realize that this in their backyard, we want people to know it’s there.
“It’s one of the only camps in western Canada that is geared specifically for kids and adults with disabilities giving them that outdoor experience. You can really have that mountain experience where we are, one of the most beautiful places in the world.”
Easter Seals has a goal of sending 600 campers to Camp Horizon this summer. The Hockey for Horizon event allows for Easter Seals to subsidize the costs for upwards of 70 per cent of campers.
“It makes a big difference,” Langton said.
The inaugural event took place on the outdoor rink in Bragg Creek, not far from Camp Horizon, with Diamond Valley hosting the second iteration on Saturday.
“For us, it’s about recognizing and supporting the community,” Langton said. “Camp Horizon is in this area and so we wanted to come out and show our support for the local community knowing that they’re supporting us in their own way.”
Camp Horizon, located just south of Bragg Creek, is a year-round facility offering accessible camp experiences.
“We have everything you would have at your regular summer camp,” Langton said. “We have high ropes, we have water activities, we have what we call the giant swing. We have camps in tents in backcountry.
“But everything has been created so that it is adaptable for individuals with disability. Whether they be eight or whether they be 88, they get to come out and there’s no barriers to participation.”
Langton said it’s important to recognize Easter Seals is more than Camp Horizon, highlighting the family and community resource services it provides.
For more information on the event, go to hockeyforhorizon.ca.
