Superheroes and super fans turn out for CB Blues’ annual fundraiser for Sammy
By Craig Westcott
The 1,101 people who turned up for the third annual CB Senior Blues fundraiser for the Sammy’s Climb Higher Foundation at CBS Arena January 18 were treated to an intense three periods of closely-fought hockey between the host squad and the visiting St. John’s Caps as well as a poignant array of opening ceremonies that paid tribute to members of the province’s hockey community who recently passed.
The game itself was only settled in overtime after Blues captain Kyle Tibbo electrified the crowd with a display of magician-like moves with the puck around the Caps’ goal mouth to score the winner. It was a comeback win for the league leading Blues who were down by two goals in the first period against the second place Caps.
Before all that action started, however, fans joined in a celebration of superheroes. Like last year, the event not only paid tribute to Sammy Porter, the six-year-old CBS boy whose tragic death sparked the creation of a foundation to help children afford to participate in sports, but as well to his friend and schoolmate Lincoln Walsh, who died in a tragic accident two years ago.
Emcee and co-chair of the foundation, Paul Connors, who was Sammy Porter’s uncle, also called attention to the recent passing of Chris Ennis, an Avalon East Senior Hockey veteran and CBS Minor Hockey coach, who happened to be Sammy’s and Lincoln’s first hockey coach.
Connors also extended condolences on behalf of the foundation and the Blues hockey club to the family of Brian Gibbons, a senior hockey star back in the 1960s and ‘70s.
“Brian was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 1968 and played professional hockey throughout North America,” Connors noted. “In 1976, he returned to his hometown and played with the St. John’s Capitals that captured the Herder trophy.”
The ceremony also contained tributes to Placentia minor hockey coach Mike Pittman, and to 16-year-old J.D. Trainor of Paradise who recently lost a long, courageous battle to cancer that inspired the hockey community across the country.
That was followed by a long tribute to another Paradise hockey spirit, Jake Anstey, 11, who died in November from complications of a cardiac arrest he suffered last winter.
Members of Anstey’s family and his care team from hospital, as well as his teachers and carers at school, joined the families of Porter and Walsh and others at centre ice for the commemoration, which included an arena wide group shout of “Go Team Jake,” and a ceremonial face off featuring the captains of the Blues and Caps.
A final tally of the proceeds from the Blues versus Caps game, which included a chuck-a-puck fundraiser and 50/50 draw, has yet to be completed. At last week’s CBS public council meeting, Connors pointed out that in 2022, the CB Blues contributed some $11,000 towards Sammy’s Climb Higher Foundation as a result of its game and fundraising efforts, and topped it last year by raising $14,000.
“I’m expecting it this year to be in that same range,” said Connors.
As usual, the Blues discarded their usual uniforms for Sammy’s game this year and donned superhero jerseys in honour of Porter’s favourite comic book characters.