Surrey鈥檚 annual Toque Tuesday charity event is on the move to 91原创 this year.
Over the past 12 years, street hockey games have been played outside Surrey City Hall in support of the Raising the Roof national campaign to draw attention to homelessness and related issues in the community.
The 2024 Toque Tuesday event is Feb. 6 at 91原创 Events Centre.
Held the first week of February, the gathering is planned by Tim Baillie, 鈥淪upreme Commander鈥� of the charitable cause.
鈥淚t was just time,鈥� Baillie said in a phone call Wednesday (Jan. 17). 鈥淚鈥檓 living out here now and I鈥檓 , so I really should do the event out here.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got the Vancouver Giants on board and they鈥檙e doing a sock-toss on the 10th (of February), which is the 50th anniversary of 91原创 Minor Hockey,鈥� added the retired fire captain.
鈥淚 did it 12 years in Surrey, and I was really close to canceling this year. One, I鈥檓 just getting over a pretty bad sickness and two, my mom just passed away, and it鈥檚 just been busy. But then I put that out there (on social media) and a pile of people said, no, we want it to happen. So we鈥檙e doing it.鈥�
The street hockey games involve people from various organizations, agencies, companies and even politicians. An inflatable rink is set up for the friendly games, and everyone is encouraged to bring donations of cash and warm clothing.
It is a fun event about a very serious subject, Baillie underlines.
鈥淣ot only do we have fun playing street hockey (hockey skills are not needed or encouraged), we give profile to people and organizations that are in the field,鈥� he noted in a Facebook post.
The event is open to the public to come watch, donate, eat a hot dog and sip on hot chocolate by donation, listen to people dealing with homelessness, play some street hockey and have some fun, Baillie explained.
鈥淣ew winter clothing like socks, underwear, etcetera, is what we look for, but also hygiene items, good-condition winter wear, boots.鈥�
The event goes on no matter the weather. 鈥淭his is due to the fact that those on the street cannot cancel due to the weather, so neither do we,鈥� Baillie said.
Following a couple years of COVID-caused cancellations, . At noon that day, a piper led players from city hall鈥檚 atrium to the temporary rink, for one ceremonial shot of Scottish tea and a 20-minute Indigenous welcome. By 12:30 p.m., the skies cleared and rain stopped.
Explained Baillie: 鈥淲e鈥檝e had firefighters play, Trilogy, Surrey Crime Prevention, and we have Surrey Urban Mission coming out, ILWU, the City Slickers from city hall, PCRS (Pacific Community Resources Society), some others. It鈥檚 just good to be back to normal playing the games again.鈥�
