NHL greats traded their skates for cleats and sticks for bats at the inaugural Gorges – Comeau 'Homebase' Charity Slo-Pitch Tournament.
The event was created as a way for former Kelowna Rockets and hometown heroes, Josh Gorges and Blake Comeau, to give back to the community all the while supporting a worthy cause.
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In partnership with the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation, the tournament is fundraising for the Better Together Campaign which will go toward the construction of JoAnna's House.
A home away from home, JoAnna's house will provide a comfortable lodging experience for families in and around B.C.'s interior travelling to Kelowna for emergency care at the KGH.
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To kick off the tournament, which took place Saturday evening at Mission Sports Field, participating players and local celebs teamed up to go head-to-head in one All-star game at King's Stadium.
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Though most of the teams consisted of professional athletes, the game was more about fun than competition.
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Regularly breaking rules, smack-talking and missing a catch or two, fans gained more than they bargained for at the entertaining and hilarious match.
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In addition to all proceeds from ticket sales going toward the campaign, sponsors and organizers incorporated other exciting fundraising initiatives like the "home run challenge."
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When a player hit a home run during the game or managed to score an infield home run, $100 would immediately be donated to JoAnna's house, lighting a bit of a competitive spark in the athletes.
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Raising over $500 on home runs alone, players mustered up ferocious strength and kept their eye on the ball, especially Comeau who hit it out of the park two times in a row.
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From sliding into second to the typical over-the-top hockey cellys, the All-star game raised both funds for charity and the spirits of fans who stuck around to watch the game – even in the middle of a downpour.
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A close game right down to the wire, Gorges' team ended up staying on top with a 19 to 14 win, with Jordin Tootoo taking home the title of MVP.
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Head to KelownaNow on Facebook for more photos of the action-packed game.
