Fundraising for the trip has begun!!!

To help fund the trip, the students at both schools, here in Ottawa and in Qikiqtarjuaq are holding fundraising events including the raffle of a Montreal Canadian hockey jersey autographed by Guy Lafleur and Frank Mahovlich. The jersey was generously donated by a community volunteer, Mr. George Reimer Sr., during a hockey equipment drive in 2008.

Raffle tickets for the jersey will be sold from May 2 to May 8, 2010, during the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships at the Bell Sensplex (1565 Maple Grove Road, Ottawa). The winner of the jersey will be drawn during the evening of May 8, 2010.

                                                 
“The Jersey and its story”

The autographed Montreal Canadians Jersey was donated by Mr. George Reimer Sr. (a volunteer at the OPS Manotick Community Ctr.) in November 2008, during the hockey equipment drive for Qikiqtarjuaq, organized by Bev Mulligan and Cst Louise Lafleur of the Ottawa Police. The jersey is autographed by Guy Lafleur and Frank Mahovlich

The Jersey's history:

George Reimer Jr. presently works for the City of Ottawa, as manager for Solid Waste Operations. The function of the solid waste section is to “take it back”. Take it back is a program that involves 700 Ottawaretailers that accept over 135 different products from residents for recycling. One example of such a product is batteries.

On occasion a new directory is produced, a list of retailers accepting specific products is made known to residents. In 2002 a new directory was produced with the help of Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, (RBRC). The spokesperson for RBRC at that time was hockey legend, Guy Lafleur.

“In 2002, The Home Depot names RBRC, "Environmental Partner of the Year". Hockey legend, Guy Lafleur champions the Canadian program. RBRC receives Waste Minimization Award from the Recycling Council of Ontario. America Recycles Day presents RBRC with Certificate of Appreciation”


An event to promote the directory and the “take it back” program was held at Ottawa City Hall.
George Reimer Jr. and the RBRC representative, Susan Antler were invited to lunch by Guy Lafleur who had also invited Frank Mahovlich.

The hockey legends presented both Reimer and Antler with an autographed Montreal Canadians jersey as a thank you for all their hard work.

George Reimer Jr. then re-gifted the jersey to his father George Reimer Sr. who played old-timers hockey and is an avid hockey fan.

The Reimer family is also very familiar with life in the north, given that the Reimer children grew up in a village called Aklavik, at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, in the Northwest Territories.

The Reimer’s are thrilled to see the jersey going to help such a good cause.