Operation Hockey Heroes: 401 Squadron celebrates its centennial and raises funds for charity

News Article / April 15, 2019

Click on the photo under “Image Gallery” to see more photos.

By Lieutenant-Colonel Forrest Rock

The Royal Canadian Air Force’s 401 Tactical Fighter Squadron—the “Rams”—celebrated its 100th anniversary on November 20, 2018.

Months ago, as we began planning for the centenary, we identified three main objectives:

• To celebrate the anniversary through a series of activities.
• To reunite and reconnect with veterans and their families.
• To raise awareness and resources to support Canada’s veterans and their families.

The third objective renews and strengthens the squadron’s legacy of community engagement and giving back and gave rise to Operation Hockey Heroes—a charitable celebrity hockey game. The game would connect the local community and the wing while raising awareness and resources to support Canadian Armed Forces veterans and their families.

We therefore planned to donate the net proceeds from the game to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund and the 4 Wing Military Family Resource Centre Society (MFRCS).

Operation Hockey Heroes began with a small group of dedicated volunteers, including squadron personnel and Honorary Colonel Tom Trifaux from 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron. When planning began, 401 Squadron’s honorary colonel position was vacant, but Honorary Colonel Hayley Wickenheiser, winner of four Olympic Gold Medals in women’s ice hockey and a member of the Order of Canada, was appointed to the post in June 2018.

We arranged for the game to take place at the Cold Lake Energy Centre to maximize community participation. The admission fee would be the donation of a non-perishable food item for the Cold Lake Food Bank and Saturday, 15 December, was selected as game day.

The Operation Hockey Heroes then pitched the event to sponsors, raised funds and in-kind sponsorship. Honorary Colonel Trifaux engaged the honorary colonel network, and he and the MFRCS team secured sponsorships. We also worked with the Edmonton Oilers Alumni Association to NHL players to participate.

The celebrity players, our “hockey heroes,” included Honorary Colonel Wickenheiser and five Oilers alumni: Brian Benning, Doug Hicks, Shawn Belle, Mark Fistric and Dave Lumley. Each team consisted of three hockey heroes, six sponsor heroes, seven military heroes and six local youth hero players.

The celebrity players arrived at Cold Lake on December 14, and toured 401 and 419 Squadrons. That same day, Honorary Colonel Wickenheiser’s investiture took place.

As the teams took to the ice on game day, players were introduced, and the carpet rolled out for the ceremonial puck drop. Three periods of fun but competitive hockey, followed—all for a good cause. All players contributed to the excitement of the game and hockey heroes, sponsors, military and youth players alike scored goals.

A silent auction, with prizes ranging from autographed Operation Hockey Heroes jerseys to autographed Oilers apparel and Grey Cup Champion Calgary Stampeders game equipment, drew lengthy lines of people bidding for a chance to secure a collector’s item.

The game ended with a 10-10 tie and a double bench clearing hockey free-for-all. After the game, the hockey heroes signed autographs and participated in photo opportunities for fans.

Operation Hockey Heroes raised $29,400; 90 per cent went to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund via the National Poppy Fund Trust, the Cold Lake Legion and the St-Paul Legion branches. Ten per cent was donated to the 4 Wing MFRCS.

Game admissions yielded 553 kilograms (1,215 pounds) of non-perishable food and about $600 for the Cold Lake Food Bank, undoubtedly helping many local families in need at a critical time of year.

401 Squadron’s lengthy service and rich combat history are well known and, throughout its history, we have tried to maintain an active role in the communities where we operate. Whether volunteering at events in the City of Westmount (the squadron’s namesake) or collecting funds to assist with the commissioning of the Battle of Britain stained glass window at St. George’s Royal Air Force Chapel of Remembrance at Biggen Hill near London, England, 401 has always been community oriented.

We envisioned our 100th year being no different.

To learn more about the storied history of 401 Squadron, read “The Birth of a Swift Death: 401 Squadron at its 100th anniversary” .

Lieutenant-Colonel Rock is commanding officer of 401 Squadron.