Any time Moose Jaw Warriors goaltenders Connor Ungar and Jackson Unger heard the clang of the puck going off the post this past season at the Moose Jaw Events Centre, it brought with it a sense of relief -- another opposition scoring chance averted.
It also brought a bit of a subliminal fist pump from Doepker Industries and Big Brothers Big Sisters Moose Jaw.
That’s because for every post or crossbar hit by the opposition at home during the 2022-23 campaign, Doepker Industries donated $10 to Big Brothers Big Sisters Moose Jaw as part of the Doepker Dingers fundraiser.
All told, that would translate into 122 posts hit over 34 home games this past season, making for a donation of $1,220 -- and a whole lot of awareness that otherwise might not be out there.
“So every game, you’re reaching two thousand or three thousand people, whatever the attendance is, and it raises awareness for a great cause in the city,” said Tyler Doepker with Doepker Industries. “It means a lot to be able to help out that way.”
The program came into being a handful of years ago at one of Doepker’s other locations, where a human resources manager served as a Big Sister. The program was successful enough there that the local branch brought the idea to the Moose Jaw Warriors, and the rest is history.
“It’s one of those ones where you can do all kinds of different things, but it works for us in that we can get our name out there as well,” Doepker said. “First and foremost, we’re putting it behind a good cause, it brings awareness to Big Brothers Big Sisters and that’s the most important thing for us.”
For more on Big Brothers Big Sisters in Moose Jaw, including how to join their program, check out their website at www.bbbsmj.ca.
