Reddick helps town with rink

[Stay-Puft]

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1012/story/146675.html
ANNIE FOWLER HERALD STAFF WRITER

The last two winters, hockey players in Manor, Saskatchewan, had to scrape the snow off the pond before they could drop the puck.

All that is going to change thanks to a benefit dinner and auction that was held March 22 in the small Canadian village of 250 people.


Manor, home to Tri-City Americans forward Kruise Reddick, had its 50-year-old rink condemned two years ago when the rafters in the roof didn't pass inspection. The rink has been torn down.

"When you take the rink away, you take their hearts away," said Manor resident Derrick Big Eagle.

Big Eagle said the community had hoped to raise $50,000 that night two weeks ago to build a new facility. That number grew to $125,000, thanks in part to Reddick.

Reddick and his family donated a signed, game-worn jersey to the auction, as well as a signed stick and a photograph.

Reddick's jersey sold for $10,500 to Ken Zandee of Manor, while his photo went for $1,400 and his stick for $650.

"He was a big celebrity that night," Big Eagle said. "Kruise is the first pro athlete we've had come out of Manor. This night was huge for the community."

Reddick himself was surprised at the numbers.

"I still can't believe it," Reddick said. "They say it was the talk of the town. That old rink was where I spent a lot of my nights. There's no minor hockey there, but you need a place to go out and have fun."

The estimated cost for the new facility is $400,000, and according to Kruise's father, Doug Reddick, the community is near its goal.

"We are getting a government grant of $156,000 and quite a few years ago we started to build a new rink and it blew down. We've had the insurance money ($170,000) sitting in the bank since then," Doug Reddick said. "We are right in the stages of getting things going, but estimates keep going up. The other night was so unbelievable. It was nice to see how much the community wanted a rink. There was so much generosity."

[Ams4life]

Thanks for the post! I read that earlier in the Herald and was surprised to see it on here!!! That was pretty amazing that his Jeresy went for ten G's! WOW