Neepawa Natives host year end banquet

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Published on Thursday, March 9, 2017

By Eoin Devereux

The Neepawa Banner/Neepawa Press

A day before their most important game of the season, members of the Neepawa Natives hockey club celebrated with the fans at the annual year end banquet. Just over 200 people filled the Yellowhead Hall on Saturday, Mar. 4 for the festivities, which provided players, coaches, sponsors and fans a chance to interact before the club’s playoff deciding showdown with the Swan Valley Stampeders.  

While the majority of the player awards were handed out during the team’s final home game the following night, several volunteer honours were presented, including Mike Hodgins receiving the Keith Jordan Memorial award for his long standing volunteer service to the club. Hodgins has done a wide variety of work for the team, from driving the bus to road games, to game day music and online updates.

Other awards announced included Kevin Cook receiving the Gary Reidle Memorial Award and Tyler Gutenberg earning the Lionel Crowther Award. Reigan Buchanan was voted the winner of the Shur-Gro/Munro Farm Services Ltd people’s choice award. That award was voted upon by the fans over the course of the regular season.

The winners of the 2017 Neepawa Natives Cash Draw were also selected and announced. Cam, Kristin and Hannah Tibbett won the big prize of $15,000. 

Though this year’s draw was not a sell out, it was still very well received. Team president Ken Waddell said overall, the board of directors is very happy with how the evening transpired. 

“It was a great night. The meal was excellent and everyone was celebrating in anticipation of a victory for Sunday’s game. The players were very upbeat at the banquet and they came through big time with the win over Swan Valley,” noted Waddell.

The positivity of the year end banquet carried over to the next evening and the final home game of the MJHL regular season, as the Neepawa Natives defeated the Swan Valley Stampeders 6-3.