Hitmen team to plant trees in Alberta’s fire-ravaged areas
The Calgary Hitmen will be planting trees across the province this season as part of a one-ticket, onetree initiative.
The largest benefactors will be Fort McMurray and Waterton Lakes National Park — both of which have been ravaged by fire in recent years.
For every game day, the team will plant one tree.
In addition, the Hitmen will host a one-ticket, one-tree game on March 8 when the Edmonton Oil Kings come to town. For each group ticket sold, the team will also plant a tree.
Team vice-president Mike Moore said the initiative came after lengthy discussions with his staff and the Western Hockey League. “We visited with our other Alberta teams and we were brainstorming on ideas … around the league and how we can impact our fans,” said Moore.
“We’ll pilot this and the goal is to have all (four) Alberta teams in on this at one point. (We wanted) to get it out the gate, get it moving. It really started there and we brought it back to our staff and started talking about what it meant.”
Along with the tree-planting, the team says players will be out in the community working to reduce ecological footprints by bringing awareness to local environmental issues. It will include Hitmen Go Green videos on upcycling, water conservation and alternative energy.
“We just want to make it a yearlong program to show we are committed to making a difference and get our players involved,” said Moore, who compared the project to the team’s infamous annual teddy bear toss game.
“With teddy bear toss, you buy a ticket, bring a bear, throw it on the ice. Here, you buy a ticket and we plant the tree,” he said.
“It’s kind of a cool initiative. Our goal is to fill the building and plant as many trees as possible, and impact our environment and our planet as best we can.”
Michael Rosen, president of Tree Canada, praised the project.
“Amazingly, there are not many sports teams that have as a priority the improvement of the environment,” said Rosen.
“I give credit to the leadership, players and fans of the Calgary Hitmen for their initiative in helping re-green Fort McMurray, devastated by the wildfires of 2016.”
The team’s season kicks off Saturday against the Edmonton Oil Kings. Tickets to that game, and the one ticket, one tree game, can be purchased at hitmenhockey.com.