WALKER -- Several hundred Wildland Firefighters and their families attended the 9th annual Wildfire on Ice hockey tournament and banquet held in Walker on Saturday, Jan. 18.
The event raised more than $35,000 for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, to provide financial support in many ways that insurance and worker's compensation cannot, a release said.
Wildfire On Ice partnered with the Walker Area Community Center to host the daytime activities. The event was open to the public, and children of all ages had the opportunity to ice skate with Smokey Bear and enjoy pizza and drinks from the Village Square Café and Pepsi Nei Bottling. Attendees gathered together at Chase on the Lake to participate in the banquet and fundraising activities.
This event is a way for the Wildland firefighting community to meet during the off-season, and raise funds to support firefighters and their families injured or fallen in the line of duty, a release said.
New to the event this year was a curling bonspiel, in which eight teams of participated. "We will definitely host the curling bonspiel again next year," Casey Goldsmith, Wildfire On Ice board member said. "It was incredible to have so many teams participate and support the new curling event."
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Four hockey teams, representing the State and Federal Wildland Fire agencies, participated in the hockey tournament. Once again, Team Minnesota DNR, captained by Dan Wiley and Pat Wherley, took home the 2020 hockey tournament trophy.
