Truro teams raise money for heart and stroke research

TRURO, N. S. – Truro hockey players helped raise more than $300,000 for heart and stroke research during the recent Hockey Heroes weekend in Halifax .

wo local teams – Truro Heart Attacks and Truro Hockey Oars – participated in the annual event that raised a total of $302,449 for life-saving research and programs which address heart disease and stroke.

Twelve teams, 14 NHL alumni and 50 volunteers helped make the weekend a huge success.

Participants gathered at the Westin Hotel in Halifax on April 26 to draft NHL alumni to their teams.

For the sixth straight year, the Heart Attacks raised the most money out of all teams – $33,377 – giving them the first-overall pick in the alumni draft. With that pick, the Heart Attacks selected Shayne Corson, who spent much of his NHL playing career with the Montreal Canadiens. The Hockey Oars raised $20,200 and picked tough guy P.J. Stock, who is well-known for his NHL bouts as a member of the Boston Bruins.

In nine years, $3.1 million has been raised at the Halifax tournament. Of that total, Truro teams – consisting of the Heart Attacks, Hockey Oars and Flatliners – have raised almost $500,000.

John Guinan, captain of the Heart Attacks, has been the point man for the Truro group since the tournament’s inception and was blown away by the fundraising efforts of Truro players this year.

“I’m humbled by it all … I’m really proud of the effort that the boys put out,” said Guinan.

Among other NHL alumni who participated in Hockey Heroes weekend were Denis Savard, Patrice Brisebois, John Scott, Steve Thomas, Chris Neil, Darcy Tucker, Al Iafrate, Eric Daze, Dale Hawerchuk, T.J. Galiardi, Andre Roy and Maple Leafs great Wendel Clark.

Hockey Heroes tournaments will be played this weekend in St. John’s, Nfld., and May 31 to June 2 in Moncton.