Final tally: Another really good year for giving

Gifts are open, trees coming down, Santa is enjoying a well-deserved rest, and we’re officially bidding farewell to Sporting Christmas 2017.

It was another really good year as we continue to help the Salvation Army with its Christmas hamper program. Our final tally of $85,518.75 eclipses last year’s total, and brings our all-time donations — dating back to 1976 — to $1,898,187.13.

We always run one final update in the new year to catch all the donations that came our way after the last pre-Christmas column, and as always, many more giving folks came to the forefront.

The Saskatoon 60-Plus Hockey League is loaded, from one end of the ice to the other, with good sports. They sent a generous gift our way “from players, referees, wives and friends. The funds were donated in the dressing room after games and by players and friends at our annual Christmas banquet. The donation is being made in memory of the following seven former 60-Plus Hockey League players who passed away during the past year: Jim Balcombe, Mel Beale, Ralph Dent, Ted Fortosky, Don Lardner, Reiny Propp and Keith Ziegler.”

The fellows who compete here each winter for the World Crokinole Championship are longtime Sporting Christmas friends, and we’re glad to hear from them again.

“Besides road salt, frosted eyeglasses and toque hair, a winter tradition in Saskatoon is the world crokinole championship,” they write. “Paul Rogal and Brian Thorstad defeated Derick Campbell and Spero Kokonas in the final this year.

“In keeping with tradition that is continuing for more than 30 years, the group of guys are giving to Sporting Christmas.”

Another long-running Saskatoon tradition is the Bedford Road Invitational Tournament, which runs this week.

They held three play-in games before Christmas and didn’t charge admission, but they did take up a collection, with proceeds going to Sporting Christmas.

BRIT chair Nicole Poirer notes “the generosity of the BRIT basketball community,” while adding:

“With us not really knowing what to expect that night since it was our first time ever running this event, the overall response was so positive and created such a great energy leading into the holiday break and BRIT 50.”

Thanks to BRIT, and best wishes with what will be a fantastic 50th tournament.

Speaking of hoops, the Saskatoon Basketball Officials Association sends a gift our way, and we thank them.

We also hear from Rich Gabruch. “We donate as always in fond memory of Lexi Rae Gabruch,” writes Rich. “Lexi did not reach her teens, but reached beyond in so many ways.

“I will never forget her Comets hockey coach (Robbie Kereluk) placing his whistle in her grave ... and the Comets team honour guard at her funeral with their jerseys and sticks. Sports brought them all together.

“Sports has meant so much for our entire family — mom being able to kick us seven kids outside to play ball, football, 500, Frisbee football gainers, ass-burn and tag in Leif Erickson Park probably saved not only the walls in our house, but gave mom some escape time when we were growing up.

“Sporting Christmas reminds Tanya and me every year to appreciate the coaches, managers and other parents in our sporting youth, who now show up and will show up for our kids, too. May our gift warm up some other good sports out there who need a little lift.”

Thanks to all for another memorable Sporting Christmas. And here’s hoping for great things from 2018.

Thanks to today’s Santas: Memory of Keith Dis Jones: $20 ■ Heather Macmillan: $50 ■ World Crokinole Championship: ■

$740

Memory of Jim Balcombe, Mel ■

Beale, Ralph Dent, Ted Fortosky, Don Lardner, Reiny Propp and Keith Ziegler from the Saskatoon 60-plus Hockey League: $4,265

Memory of my husband Dennis ■ Lyster, from Yvette Lyster: $100

Saskatoon Basketball Officials ■

Association: $370

Bedford Road Invitational Tournament: ■ $985.15

Loving memory of John Pederson ■ from his family: $100

Memory of Doug McConachie: ■

$187.30

Memory of Gib Balkwill, who ■ would have been 87 on Christmas Day: $87

Memory of Jack Morrell, Jack ■

Drummond and Don Moser from Wendy Cebryk: $200

Peace on Earth, from Trymark ■

Framing: $100

Justin Mutala: $20

■

Memory of a kind, loving and ■ generous person, Kay Howsam, from Joseph Schnurr: $300

Memory of Wayne Loberg and ■

Denis Beausoleil from Marge Loberg: $100

On behalf of the World Crokinole ■

Championship and Nuclear Arms Symposium: $500

Irene Sigstad: $25

■

John and Audrey McDine: $100 ■ In honour of our super-talented ■ nieces and nephews, all the best in 2018, from Heather and Paul: $500

Memory of Lexi Rae Gabruch ■ from Rich, Tanya, Zoria and Bohdan: $500