BAY ROBERTS, NL — A hockey game that was already in the works involving Bay Roberts RCMP and the municipality is now set to benefit the grieving family of a player lost in last week’s tragic bus crash in Saskatchewan.
On Monday, the province’s Ministry of Justice confirmed Parker Tobin, 18, was among the 15 players and personnel from the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team that died as a result of a collision involving a tractor trailer and the team’s bus. The young man receiving treatment in hospital thought to be Tobin was in fact one of his teammates, Xavier Labelle.
Parker Tobin’s parents are both from the Conception Bay North area, and his father Ed is a Bay Roberts native.
Const. Bryan Vaughan told The Compass Tuesday he and Sgt. Brent Hillier were already planning for a game to be played Saturday, April 14, at the Bay Arena in Bay Roberts.
“It was just something we were doing for fun as a bonding thing between us and the town,” Vaughan told The Compass.
But following the tragic events of last Tuesday, those involved began to think the game could become something more.
“Whether it’s volleyball, hockey, basketball, a lot of us have been on road trips, either in vehicles or on buses,” said Vaughan, noting a sense of comradery usually comes with those experiences. “It hits everybody close to home, because we’ve all been there.”
Saturday’s game is set to start at 8:15 p.m. Donations will be accepted to honour Parker Tobin and support his family. Organizers are encouraging attendees to wear green (matching the Broncos’ team colours). Those who come to the game can also bring a hockey stick to place along the outside of the boards as a symbolic gesture.
“Come to just watch a fun hockey game that’s going to honour a bunch of young men, coaching staff and trainers who unfortunately lost their lives, and to honour the (survivors) of this crash who definitely have a long road ahead,” Vaughan said.
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