Things are heating up for the 2024 Boots and Hearts Barn Burner Charity Hockey Game in Barrie.
The official launch of the Aug. 7 match, to be held at Sadlon Arena, took place at Burls Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte on Monday morning.
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall said the fundraiser should pass last year’s total of $276,000.
“This year, we are on pace to far exceed that number,” he said. “We are well on our way to being sold out.”
Nuttall said 2,200 advance tickets have been sold for the annual hockey game, which typically includes 20 professional hockey players from the National Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League, as well as community participants and special guests.
Isaak Phillips of the Chicago Blackhawks, Quinton Byfield of the Los Angeles Kings and Chris Tierney of the New Jersey Devils were on hand for Monday’s official launch.
“It’s definitely on my calendar in the summer every year,” said Tierney, who lives in Bradford.
“It’s to raise money for the less fortunate in the community,” said Oro-Medonte Township Mayor Randy Greenlaw.
Looking back to 2018, Nuttall said the charity hockey game raised $98,000 that year.
To date, it has raised more than $2 million, with beneficiaries including Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), Rotary Club, PIE Education, the John Tavares Foundation, Easter Seals and the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Tickets, starting at $25, can be purchased now through one of the three Rotary Clubs — Rotary Club of Barrie, Barrie-Huronia Rotary and Kempenfelt Rotary — or through TicketPro beginning tomorrow (June 11).
Click here for more information.
