The Swan Valley Stampeders Junior A Hockey Club is fresh off their 25th anniversary season.
As they now look forward to their 26th year, they are in dire need of volunteers and board members to operate. In a recent release, the organization said they are sounding the alarm on the current state of board members and volunteers with the organization.
According to the team, they ran the 2023-24 season with just six of 12 board seats filled.
"When you look at what our team brings to this community, we don't just bring these young men into the community, other teams are coming to stay in our community," said Danielle Gordon-Broome. "They're staying at our local hotels, eating at our restaurants, and spending money at our grocery stores."
Several volunteers are needed for home games. From time clock to selling tickets to 50/50 and everything in between, it truly takes a great effort from so many incredible people to make home games run smoothly.
As vice president, Gordon-Broome has announced that she will step down if others don't jump on board. On top of that, the team's president and governor, Cramer Coulthart, has already announced that he will not be seeking re-election.
Gordon-Broome says it would be heartbreaking if the Stampeders were unable to come back for the 2024-25 season as she knows how much this team means to so many community members.
"It's huge. I work very closely with our players throughout the season and they recognize how great the support is," offered Gordon-Broome. "There are many people in our community that don't miss a game, they're always in the stands cheering the guys on and they appreciate it."
Being a board member does not mean that you will be expected to attend and work at all home games. Just like being a volunteer does not mean that you will be tasked with making team decisions. But, the team needs people willing to do both of these tasks to be successful.
You can volunteer for a single game, a set number of games, or the entire season. The Stampeders are very flexible and are more than willing to work with you.
To move forward the board needs eight to 10 individuals to commit to a three-year term. Board duties include overseeing budgets and financials, high-level operations decisions, planning fundraisers, and organizing volunteers.
To express your interest in becoming a board member please call or text Cramer Coulthart at 204·281·4255 at your earliest opportunity.
The board is also looking to compile a list of volunteers to move forward with. If you are interested in volunteering with the team please call or text Danielle Gordon-Broome at 204·281·2082. You can also register using the online signup form located on the Stampeders website.
