A member of the Westfield Fire Department team, foreground, lines up for the pass as a host of former Boston Bruins players, background, move in during last year’s game. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – The Westfield firefighters will again tangle with legends of the Boston Bruins and the public will be invited to support them as they raise funds for their charitable efforts.
Ray Neilsen, the event coordinator for the Local No. 1111 of the International Brotherhood of Firefighters event, said recently that the annual hockey game between a team chosen to represent the city’s firefighters and the Black and Gold Legends, a team comprised of former members of the Boston Bruins, will be a fundraising event for the ‘Save-a-life” account of the union.
That account is used by the local firefighters to fulfill many of the requests for assistance the union gets from community groups including both youth sports leagues and other civic groups.
Neilsen said that the firefighters have been asked for help by numerous groups in the city for many years and have provided it.
“We’ve been giving money away for years” he said. “It started way before I did and I’ve been a firefighter for 27 years.”
Neilsen said that, starting on Sunday, professional solicitors will be calling local residents and businesses seeking donations for the fundraiser.
A group of children pose for a photo during last year’s fundraiser game between the Westfield Fire Department and former Boston Bruins players at the Amelia Park Ice Arena. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
He said that every year some residents who are contacted express concerns that the solicitation is a scam of some sort and said that he wants to assure residents that their donations will stay in the community and be used to help local organizations.
The hockey game will be at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Amelia Park Ice Arena and admission to the game is free, although cash donations will be accepted at the door.
A program for the event will be available and, in addition to pictures and information about the Legends, will include pages for autographs.
The former Bruins players will be available to the fans to sign autographs between the two 25-minute periods of the game.
Young players attending the game will have another opportunity to get up-close and personal with the former hockey stars before the game when the Legends will offer two workshops for young hockey players.
Children will be able to “pick up some tips from some of the Black and Gold Legends,” Neilsen said but added “we’re going to charge for that.”
He said that pre-registration will be required for participation in one of two 45-minute workshops staged before the game.
He said that a workshop for ‘Mites’ and ‘Squirts’ (children aged 4-10) will begin at 3 p.m. and a second workshop for older boys, ‘Peewees’ through ‘Bantams’ aged 10-14, will begin at 3:45 p.m.
The children will need complete hockey pads and gear and participants may register for the workshops in person at Amelia Park or by calling the ice arena at 568-2503, Neilsen said. The cost of the workshops will be $30.
Refreshments will be available at the game and will include firehouse chili.
Neilsen said that the event will also offer a silent auction for items donated to the firefighters and bids for those items will close during the second period of hockey action.
“It’s a great event to help the firefighters and it’s quite an outstanding community event,” Neilsen said. “We’re looking to fill the place.”
Donations will also be accepted by mail at 34 Broad Street, Local 1111 Fundraiser, Westfield, Massachusetts 01085. For more information, contact Ray Neilsen at 413-205-8910.
