On the morning of Thursday, April 6, 2017, an eclectic group of Halton Police, Burlington Fire and Peel Police players gathered at the indoor fields of the Oakville Soccer Club to play some footie. It wasn't just about having fun and letting off a little steam – it was about helping others.
For the second year in a row, members of the Halton Regional Police Service, supported by Peel Regional Police and the Burlington Fire Department, set a day aside to kick a ball in the name of community support. Together they raised $1,100.
The fundraising event started last year as a way to sponsor youth who could not afford to play soccer. In 2016, 32 participants took part and raised $300.00 for the cause. This year, players hit the turf with a bigger goal in mind: any extra money raised would be donated to the Wellspring Birmingham Gilgan House in Oakville, a support centre for those living with cancer.
The officers and their teammates played for members of the Service who have been diagnosed and are battling the illness.
"We wanted to demonstrate our love and support for them," says event organizer Staff Sergeant Rob Lloyd. "It was an opportunity to raise money for an organization that has offered our own and others comfort and support."
When the call went out for interested players, the response was overwhelming, with some officers booking the day off work to attend. The round-robin tournament consisted of six co-ed teams, each playing five 30-minute games, with the top two teams battling head-to-head in the final. After two scoreless halves, the winner was determined by shootout. PC Simon Burden's team claimed this year's Championship title.
The Oakville Soccer Club donated the fields and Halton Regional Police Service Chief of Police Stephen Tanner made an appearance.
"This will be an annual event," says Staff Sergeant Lloyd. "We work with each other for so many hours in a job and that can be very stressful. Police officers have a very special bond. We're like family."
Cheque presentations by the Halton Police, Burlington Fire and Peel Police were recently made to Wellspring Birmingham Gilgan House in Oakville and to the Oakville Soccer Club.