Ten-year-old Marie Sharpe student Trey Felker can still hardly believe it.
Speaking to the Tribune this week, Trey recounted what he called a trip he’ll never forget Feb. 24-28 to meet Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price in Montreal, who hails from the Ulkatcho First Nation in Anahim Lake.
Trey was one of this year’s winners of the school’s Breakfast Club of Canada and Air Canada Foundation Shooting for the Stars contest.
He joined two other Indigenous youth from communities in B.C. for the trip, including Kimora Price of Anahim Lake, as they flew first class to Montreal, spent some time on the ice with Price, who was joined by his wife, Angela, and representatives from the Breakfast Club of Canada (BCC).
The BCC strives to nourish children to ensure they get a healthy breakfast each morning at school, including at Marie Sharpe and Anahim Lake school, where the program operates.
While in Montreal, Trey and the group watched Price and the Canadiens take on the New Yorks Rangers at the Bell Centre form the Air Canada Lounge.
“On Wednesday (Feb. 26) we woke up really early, but it was worth it,” Trey said. “We actually got to meet Carey Price where he practices and it was so much fun. I scored on him.”
Trey said having a chance to talk in person with one of his heroes was a second-to-none experience.
“I just talked to him about when I’m older how I want to be in the NHL like him, and he thought that was pretty cool,” Trey said. “I was nervous at first but he just started talking more and more and we took some pictures together.”
On Thursday, Feb. 27, while the Canadiens lost to the Rangers, 5-2, Trey said it was still a great time being treated like royalty in their box seats.
Read More: Lambes thankful for dream trip to watch Carey Price and Montreal Canadiens
“It was all just so great,” he said. “Carey was so nice. And Angela was really nice, too. When we were in the box seats we got to meet Youppi! (Montreal Canadiens mascot), and we met Liv (Carey and Angela Price’s daughter) when we were doing the pictures.
“It was the most fun trip I’ve ever gone on and I’ll remember that forever. I think my favourite part was when I was shooting on him he was just laughing a lot. I told him I played hockey here in Williams Lake on the Atom Yellow Hornets and he thought that was cool.”
Angela, meanwhile, said she and Carey are proud to be able to participate in the program, as Carey is the BCC national ambassador.
“We feel privileged to be able to make our dreams come true every day,” Carey said. “By taking part in the Shooting for the Stars event for the past six years we’ve been able to tell children that nothing is impossible if you keep at it. Children from Indigenous communities may need to hear this message more often, and we gladly share it with them, year after year.”
Also while in Montreal, the week of special activities including sightseeing such as visiting La Grande Roue de Montreal, the Montreal Science Centre and a guided tour of the Bell Centre.
Trey thanked everyone for the opportunity and said it was so nice to be selected for the trip.
“It’s just a really great thing that they’re doing (the BCC and Air Canada Foundation),” he said. “I think Carey is my favourite player now. I even got to come home with lots of stuff signed like a jersey, my sweater, a flag, and he recorded a message for my team that said ‘Go Yellow Hornets!”
sports@wltribune.com
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