Travis Gillespie Memorial Hockey Tournament and Scholarships Facebook photo
The third and final Travis Gillespie Memorial Hockey Tournament will take place this Saturday, March 15 at the Keeler Centre in Colborne.
Organizers have announced that this will be the last year of the event out of respect for the Gillespie family.
Travis’ brother Dan Gillespie explains.
The tournament honours York Regional Police officer Travis Gillespie, who died in a head-on crash in September 2022 while on his way to work. Gillespie grew up in Shilo and dreamed of becoming a police officer.
Since it began, the tournament has raised more than $60,000 to support local youth sports and arena improvements. In its first year, $16,000 was donated to the Warkworth Minor Hockey Association, while last year’s event raised $34,000, including $20,000 to support Brighton arena upgrades.
After adding more teams last year, Dan says they’re returning to the original format.
Funds have also sponsored youth players in Warkworth, Brighton and the Cold Creek Comets, helping cover registration fees for young athletes.
Saturday’s event will feature a full schedule of games, including teams from York Regional Police, as well as Cramahe and Trent Hills Fire Departments. There will also be a raffle table, 50/50 draw, bake sale, and other fundraising activities.
Dan tells us they have a special treat for those attending the opening ceremonies.
Opening ceremonies start at 7:45 a.m., followed by the first puck drop at 8 a.m. A special performance and announcements are set for 2 p.m., with the 50/50 draw at 2:30 p.m. Raffle prize winners can pick up their items at 4 p.m.
Dan tells us they’ll also be selling baseball caps with the popular “hotdog” logo in a variety of colours this year.
So stop by the Keeler Centre on Saturday to show your support.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
