Good evening Members,

As we approach the midway point of our season and soon cross into the new year, I would like to take a moment to thank all of our families, volunteers, coaches, board of directors, executive team, and, most of all, our Flyers—big and small. Wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday Season!

Looking back on the first half of our season, we’ve introduced several new initiatives, including our Flyer of the Week, Volunteer of the Week, optional power skating on Tuesdays at RBC, and defensive sessions on Sundays at ECV.

Our Kraft Hockeyville committee has been working diligently since the summer, and our official rally will be held on Saturday, January 18th, and Sunday, January 19th, at the Arena. Spread the word, as this will be an event you won’t want to miss! We are looking for volunteers to assist with logistics at the Arena and with the planned events over these two days. Headlining the event will be a live performance by the iconic band Shameless on Saturday the 18th at the Arena grounds. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!

I would also like to take a moment to thank Melissa Berkvens and Alex LeBlanc, who, after several years of dedicated service on our executive and board, are passing the torch to spend more time with their families. Their contributions to our association have been immense, and we cannot thank them both enough for their years of hard work.

Melissa has spent the past three and a half years as our association's secretary. Her contributions have been significant and wide-ranging, including organizing our managers’ meetings, being part of our tryout committee, organizing our AGMs, serving on various disciplinary committees, and managing two teams each season. Melissa has been, and continues to be, a huge advocate for SMHA and its members. Thank you, Melissa, for all of your volunteer hours and dedication.

Alex has served as the Director of Equipment for the past three and a half years. His work in asset management and completely revamping and organizing our equipment room and inventory has been extraordinary. Alex also created a comprehensive handbook for this role, which has been a great resource. He has spent countless hours ensuring that our teams were always equipped and ready for tryouts and the season, and he has always been available on short notice to help whenever needed. Alex has been an invaluable asset to our organization. Thank you so much, Alex, for all of your volunteer hours and dedication.

With that, I am pleased to officially announce that Natalie Lafleche has been appointed as our new Secretary, and Jordan Ingraham has been appointed as our new Director of Equipment. Welcome to the team! We look forward to working with you both.

May your holiday season be as exciting as a breakaway or a big save, as joyful as a game-winning goal, and as warm as a hot chocolate after a chilly practice. Happy holidays to you and your families!

Merry Christmas,
Rob