Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey is running its annual three-on-three Family Hockey Jamboree later this month, and it will benefit a local hockey family that is in the middle of a cancer fight.
Jayme Chmiliar is battling Stage 4 cancer, and friends of the local hockey family are helping out.
In January, his wife Brenda entered him into a contest for a promotional treatment that would have cost $17,000, and is not covered by the health care system. Jayme is willing to try the treatment, but only if it does not put his family into debt. The cancer has spread from his head to his lymph nodes and lungs.
“We haven’t been given a lot of reason to hope,” said Brenda. “And if you want to try to do something different, you have to have tons of money.”
They were not successful in the promotion, but now friends are helping them with a $17,000 fundraising goal.
The three-on-three tournament runs on March 25 and 26 at Planet Ice, and teams play three games for their $650 registration fee. Adults receive one pub ticket as part of the team registration fee.
The pub night will be held on Friday, March 25 at the Breakaway Bar and Grill. Additional tickets for those not playing hockey may be purchased. Kids are welcome until 10 p.m.
First hosted in 2008, the Family Hockey Jamboree is a community event committed to supporting local hockey families in the Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge communities.
For more information, email 2016familyhockeyjamboree@gmail.com.
And friends are also running an online donation site for the Chmiliars.
It can be found at gogetfunding.com by searching “Give a Great Family Hope.” So far, it has raised $1,800 for the Chmiliars.
Jeremy Bator, who worked with Jayme in the cinema industry for 15 years, said his former work colleagues wanted to help. Bator explained that the cinema industry gives a lot of kids their first job, and Jayme was always a great mentor for young people.
“He’s a good family guy, and always one to look after people,” said Bator.
Now he and his family need some looking after, said Bator.
“His kids are roughly the same age as mine. I can’t even imagine.”
B.C. juvenile A championships
Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey is hosting the provincial juvenile A championships, starting Thursday at Planet Ice.
The Ridge Meadows Moose would have qualified for the provincials as the host team, but defeated top-ranked North Delta 7-3 last week to qualify as one of two Lower Mainland teams.
The Moose went 2-1 in the Final Four round.
Other teams at the provincials include Juan de Fuca, Langley, North Vancouver and Vancouver.
The opening ceremony and puck drop for the provincials take place Thursday at 6:45 p.m. in Cam Neely Arena.
In juvenile C, the Ridge Meadows C2 team, coached by Glen Mund and Earl Bloom, won the Lower Mainland green division playoff banner, going 3-1-2 and edging North Delta by a point.
In bantam A3, the Ridge Meadows Rustlers won the Presidents Series playoffs.
The team, coached by Bruce Vasarhely, went 5-1 in the playoffs and sealed the championship by winning back-to-back games against Chilliwack A3 last week.