One final memorial tournament in honour of Jennifer Widbur

March 21, 2019 · 0 Comments

Written By MARNI WALSH

The puck will soon drop for the last time to signal the opening of the Jennifer Widbur Memorial Hockey Tournament at Honeywood Arena. On the weekend of April 5-6, the 12th tournament in memory of Jennifer Widbur will make one last play to raise funds in support of Cancer Care Centre at Headwaters Hospital in Orangeville.

Tournament Chair, Mike deLatt was Jennifer’s husband. He told the Free Press, “The tournament board has decided that this will be our final year because we have reached and surpassed our greatest goals for this tournament. We could never have imagined its success. It is time however, to end on a high note, knowing that this community has done such a wonderful, generous thing for our friends and family members who live and battle with cancer.”

Jennifer was just a young mom when she passed away in 2007 from a rare form of breast cancer. The Jennifer Widbur Memorial Hockey Tournament was started in the following spring by her friends and fellow ‘Hockey Moms’ from Honeywood. “A group of young ladies,” says Mike deLatt, “who thought they would like to learn the game that they had been watching played by other members of their family.” The organizers say, “We play in this tournament to enjoy the game Jennifer loved, and to help others in our community who are experiencing their own battles with this disease.”

“The tournament endeavors to provide a fun, friendly weekend of hockey for women over the age of 30,” organizers say. “At the same time, players strive to raise funds for the cause by gathering sponsors for their team.” Teams of hockey moms, over the age of 30, play in a three game round-robin format in Competitive and Non- Competitive categories with humourous team names like “Fifty Blades of Grey.”

Once again this year, funds raised will be donated to support Oncology at Headwaters Hospital – with a goal to raise $30,000. “We do this because we want our hospital to have the best care possible for our friends and family members who have to fight this disease,” says Mike DeLatt. “Our sponsors donations will be used to improve the equipment available at the hospital so that better care can be given close to home for these patients.” Of Jennifer, he says, “I can think of no better way to honour her memory.”

In addition to the $510,000 already donated to Cancer Care at Headwaters, the tournament has donated another $40,000 in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Hospice Dufferin, the Humboldt Broncos, and Honeywood Minor Hockey.

The final Jennifer Widbur Memorial Hockey Tournament takes place April 5-6 at the North Dufferin Community Centre in Honeywoood. Mike deLatt says, “The tournament offers a huge number of raffle items for the public to bid on, a pork chop dinner Saturday night, and a dance to end the events. Admission is by donation. Sponsorships for teams or players can be made online through Headwaters at www.jwtournament.ca.