This year's 3-on-3 charity ball hockey tournament raised thousands of dollars for three children's charities.
The 4th annual Tuukka Cup took place at the Ridgetown arena on Saturday, August 26 with around 75 children participating in the tournament.
The champions of the 2023 Tuukka Cup are the Mighty Pucks, The Green Machines, the Trouble Makers 3.0 and the Eau View Crop Dusters - each winning in their own divisions.
All of the winning teams received a very unique prize.
"All the teams got medals and the winners got their names engraved and pictures with a 2/3 replica Stanley Cup," said Mike Boersma.
Boersma started the tournament in 2018 after his cousin Ronny Betterley passed away from DIPG, a rare childhood brain cancer.
Over the last four years, the tournament has raised over $36,000. This year, the tournament reached its fundraising goal by raising $10,000 in total, with $3,333.33 going to each of Ronny’s charities.
The money raised will help support the operational costs at Childcan, Make-A-Wish Canada, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwestern Ontario.
"Our communities of Ridgetown and Blenheim have been amazing," said Boersma. "Whether it's businesses or just people supporting and volunteering at the event and keeping it going for all these years. It makes you proud to be living in this area."
