A $15,000 donation to the Williams Lake Minor Hockey Association during the Rogers Hometown Hockey weekend in the lakecity has its president speechless.
Scotiabank and Williams Lake branch manager Aaron Mannella made the presentation to WLMHA president Todd Isnardy Saturday, who was overwhelmed by the support.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” Isnardy said. “I don’t know what to say. When you get something like that it’s kind of like when we got the Carey Price goaltending gear donation.”
He said now the challenge is to sit down with the WLMHA executive to discuss the best possible way to use the funds, which amount to possibly the largest donation the WLMHA has ever received.
“We have an executive meeting [Tuesday night] and it’ll definitely be a hot topic as to where we can invest this amazing donation from Scotiabank into make all our players better hockey players and giving them a better hockey experience,” Isnardy said.
“That’s kind of the whole reason for what we do is to try to make everyone’s hockey experience the best it can possibly be.”
Isnardy said some of the ideas he’ll table will include more skills clinics that can create better local hockey players.
“Not just for the high end players, but every player to be able to give them that extra power skating clinic, or stickhandling clinic — that’s where I’d lean. It’s a every exciting time.”
Of the Rogers Hometown Hockey weekend experience, Isnardy said it was an absolute blast to be a part of for the entire association, who took part in a Parade of Champions Sunday afternoon to kick off the live pre-game broadcast with hosts Ron MacLean and Tara Slone.
“You see all these kids that are minor hockey players out there enjoying it and they’ve got huge smiles on their faces, but it wasn’t just that,” he said. “It was kids, parents, some who’d never stepped foot inside the rink as far as minor hockey, and they’re enjoying it just as much as everybody, so it was awesome to see the community enjoy it and embrace it.
“It was definitely an experience.”