Hockey for Hospice tournament raises over $611k
- Ron Giofu
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
The 29th annual Hockey for Hospice maintained its holiday tradition of kids having fun playing hockey and raising big bucks for Hospice at the same time.
The 2025 edition of the hockey tournament raised $611,237, surpassing the roughly $535,000 raised in 2024.
The three-day tournament, which ran Dec. 27-29, featured four arenas and eight ice pads in four different Essex County municipalities. Rinks were used at the Libro Centre in Amherstburg, the Essex Centre Sports Complex, the Vollmer Centre in LaSalle and Tecumseh Arena.
Tournament co-chair Tim Beaulieu said they had 132 teams and nearly 2,000 players in the 2025 tournament. There were 115 teams in 2024.
“We had 17 more teams this year, so that was very positive,” he said. “The kids have gone out and done it again.”
Beaulieu said the Hockey for Hospice tournament usually sees between 115-135 teams enrol, so the 2025 total was near the “top end” of what they usually get.
The tournament features house league players ranging from ages 5-14, with girls U22 added this year.
“That worked out very well,” said Beaulieu.
The tournament originated almost three decades ago as a skate-a-thon at the former AMA Arena on Victoria St. S. Beaulieu said he and wife Janet never could have imagined back then how big it would grow.
“When Janet and I did this, it was in memory of an employee that passed away a few years earlier,” he said.
From there, it expanded to where it is now, with four arenas, eight rinks, 235 hours of ice time and between 75-80 volunteers. Beaulieu noted a lot of family members of himself and other organizers take part, along with many from the Hospice of Windsor-Essex County.
“We have volunteers who have been here in excess of 20 years helping us and they come back every year,” said Beaulieu. “This tournament doesn’t run without the volunteers.”
The tournament has raised over $6.4 million in its existence, he added, with the players going out and raising it. Beaulieu noted many have a connection with Hospice through family members that have been supported by the organization.
Volunteers and staff with the Hospice of Windsor-Essex County go into dressing rooms and teach players and coaches about the Hospice’s services. Beaulieu said Hospice has 12 beds and the tournament funds eight of them. Additional fundraising helps cover the cost of the remaining four beds.
“People don’t have to pay a penny when they go there,” said Beaulieu.
The amount the players raise annually continuously impresses Beaulieu and other committee members.
“We’re fortunate,” he said. “I’m simply amazed every year at what the kids have done and continue to do. The kids respond year in and year out.”
Katharen Bortolin, executive director with the Hospice of Windsor-Essex County, said while they do receive government funding, fundraising is still vital to their operations. She credited the families behind the tournament, such as the Beaulieu family, for their efforts. Bortolin added while Hospices in other regions try to replicate the success of the local Hockey for Hospice tournament, “they don’t have families like this.”
Bortolin said players and coaches want to come back every year and Hospice is very grateful for the support they receive. She said while Hospice never wants to assume anything at the start of the year, they know they can count on the tournament to help them with their fundraising targets.
The support given to patients and families is appreciated, she added, and there are players and coaches who have been impacted by family members who have stayed at Hospice.
“The kids are amazing,” said Bortolin.
Bortolin added “tons of time and effort goes into planning” the Hockey for Hospice tournament and she is happy to be part of it.
“It’s really gratifying,” she said.
Hockey for Hospice tournament raises over $611k
By Ron Giofu
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