Fort Macleod Volleyball Club volunteers Mike Bourassa, Angela Martin, Leanne Neels, Lauren Roelofsen and Janene Van Driesten presented a cheque for $14,888 to Sarah Eccleston, community engagement foundation manager for STARS air ambulance. The money was raised during the STARS co-ed volleyball tournament in April.
Planning is under way and registration has started for the 20th Fort Macleod STARS Volleyball Tournament.
Organizers held their first meeting last week and opened registration with a goal of attracting a record 50 teams to the April 12-14 event.
“That’s our goal, to get 50 teams,” Fort Macleod Volleyball Club president Mike Bourassa said.
The volleyball club has its work cut out for it if it is to match the record $14,000 donation made last year to STARS air ambulance.
Last year, a record 48 teams competed in competitive, intermediate, recreation and beer league divisions.
The mandate each year is to fund at least one mission by the air ambulance, at a cost of about $5,400.
In recent years the tournament has raised enough to pay for two flights by the STARS helicopter, and last year came close to funding three missions.
Volleyball club president Mike Bourassa said the tournament dinner and dance will once again be held in the curling rink.
That change was made last year and received positive support from the players.
“We had lots of positive feedback about having it all in one spot,” Bourassa said.
The dinner will also feature speakers and an expanded auction to boost fund-raising.
The tournament beer gardens will again be upstairs in the arena. The band 90XOver will perform on the Friday night.
Games are held on portable courts installed in the Fort Macleod and District Sports Centre, as well as at W.A. Day school.
Fees remain the same at $500 per team, along with a $100 deposit that is refunded if the team plays all its scheduled games.
Bourassa noted that last year all teams fulfilled their commitments and had the deposit refunded.
The tournament organizing committee is made up of Bourassa, Chelsie Wolff, Lauren Roelofsen, Leanne Neels, Lindsey Zielinski, Paige Knauf, Angela Martin, Brayden Van Driesten, Janene Van Driesten, Landon Schneider, Tom Lyon, Abby Bourassa and Brandi Sharma.
The competitive division is open to players aged 18 years or over, while intermediate division players must be 20 years and over.
Recreational division players are 25 years and over, and beer league participants must be at least 30 years of age.
Teams can mail entries to Mike Bourassa at P.O. Box 1684, Fort Macleod, T0L 0Z0, or e-transfer to mike@fortmacleodvolleyballclub.com.
- Teams must specify which division they are entering with their registration.
- Teams can have up to eight players, of which three must be female.
- Deadline for registration is March 30.
For information contact Mike Bourassa at 403-849-7529 or mike@fortmacleodvolleyballclub.com..
