Tupling tournament counts where it matters most

December 17, 2014 · 0 Comments

The Michael Tupling Memorial Hockey Tournament took over the Honeywood arena with two days of hockey on Friday, December 5, and Saturday December 6.
Currently in its fourth year, the Tournament raises funds for where it matters most – in the community.
The Tupling Memorial Fund was established to help encourage youth involvement and leadership in the community. Proceeds from the tournament go to recreation activities and community projects and help provide financial support for youth in North Dufferin who may not otherwise be able to participate.
This year there were eight teams taking part from around the area and 17 sponsors who participated in helping pay for the ice time.
The tournament’s namesake, Michael Tupling, was a young man who lived just north of the Honeywood village and died in a farm accident in 2010. He was very active including sports and the 4–H club.
Bert Tupling is the Fund’s president and works along with committee members Don McNalty, Erin Baily, Shannon Tupling, Karla Tupling, and Chester Tupling, in organizing the tournament each year.
The tournament is for “the youth of the community. We support them however we can,” Explained Bert Tupling. “We set up a mission statement with the goals of what we wanted to do.”
The Fund recently became a corporate identity and are working on getting a charitable organization number so they can issue tax receipts – an effort that Tupling said is “A hard process.”
The committee members don’t simply decide on their own where funds should be directed, they are part of the fabric of the community and listen to others suggestions.
“We listen to the people in the community and hear things about what might be needed.”
One of the recent donations went towards helping by the new ice surfacer for the Community Centre arena. They have also paid for new hockey nets and a PA system that is used for figure skating.
The fund has also contributed to registration fees for kids who otherwise wouldn’t be able to participate.
“We went to both minor hockey and the figure skating club and said to them, when you get your enrollment and you have some people who say ‘I can’t afford that,’ you come to us and we will give 75 percent of their registration.”
Mr. Tupling stressed that fact that money raised goes for local events, participation, and betterment of the local community.
With the support of local people, sponsors, and tournament participants, the Fund has raised close to $20,000 over the past four years.
While the tournament is in itself, a fun two days of hockey, the end result is a contribution that will benefit the community for years to come.

By Brian Lockhart