THANK YOU to Local Businesses and Individuals

The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program would like to say a big THANK YOU to the following local businesses and individuals who made generous donations to help send our four (4) hockey teams to the KIP FRIENDSHIP TOURNAMENT in Kitchener last month. Your generosity is much appreciated by everyone in the Komets organization. THANK YOU!

Please support these local businesses and thank them for their support of special needs hockey in our community. THANK YOU!

Best Western PLUS Otonabee Inn
Currie Tire Ltd.
ServiceMaster Restore
Rocky Ridge Drinking Water
Ralph Bastian Dentistry
Betty Ann Gynane
Dan & Caroline Grady
Pat & Stella Casey
Anonymous Donor ($1,000)

Farewell Celebration for our Special Olympians Leaving for Abu Dhabi

What a celebration last night at the Special Olympics Send Off Dance for our Peterborough Special Olympians, Brandon Vansickle, Crystal Cochrane and Dylan Armstrong!  

Left to right...Brandon, Dylan and Crystal

These incredible athletes will be leaving next Thursday for Abu Dhabi for the Special Olympics World Games. Several police officers were on hand to make a presentation to our athletes and send them off with their best wishes. Lesley Parnell, City Councillor, wished them all the best on behalf of the City of Peterborough.

It was a great evening with good people, good music and dancing and lots of fun. We hope everyone has a great time...the athletes and parents...Robert, Andrew, Sylvia and Nancy!

NOTE:  Brandon plays hockey for the Kawartha Komets, Dylan played for the Komets for many years and Crystal is a good friend of many of our Komets players and families.

Kawartha Komets Welcome the Kitchener Ice Pirates

What an example of making something great from a difficult situation!
We received an e-mail from our contact with the Kitchener Ice Pirates early this morning stating that they were having problems with the bus they had chartered and our three games with them here in Peterborough could be adversely impacted.
Some of the families who were driving were already on the road and weren't aware of the bus problem.
As it turned out enough people ended up driving from Kitchener and all three games were played with enough Ice Pirates in town to make for three amazing, exciting, well-played games.
Our sincere thanks to Kirsten Carr from the Ice Pirates who made the day a success even though she was unable to make the trip herself.
THANK YOU to all the Ice Pirates coaches, volunteers, players and parents who made the trip and were so understanding of the situation. We had an amazing day at the rink. The Ice Pirates left for Ajax after the games where they will be staying overnight and playing the Durham Dragons tomorrow morning!
THANK YOU, as well, to all our Kawartha Komets coaches, volunteers, players, families, caregivers and our amazing referee, Mara Wilson!

Another memorable day for special needs hockey!

Special Olympics Team Canada Send-Off Dance

ALL KAWARTHA KOMETS PLAYERS ARE INVITED TO AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND…

The SPECIAL OLYMPICS DANCE, Friday, March 1st from 6:30 – 9:30

Come on out and be part of the Special Olympics TEAM CANADA Dance this Friday, March 1st from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall at the corner of Ford & Frank Streets behind St. Alphonsus Church. Admission is $8.00 per person. Chips and pop are $1.00 and water is 50 cents. Draws take place throughout the evening. Draw tickets are $2.00 per ticket or 3 for $5.00. 

Please wear Canada’s colours (red and white) as this event is a send off for our three Special Olympians, Crystal Cochrane, Dylan Armstrong & Brandon Vansickle, who are going to compete at the World Games in Abu Dhabi in March. Participants must be 16 years of age or older and independent to attend the dance. Must have a chaperone if not independent in the community. The hall is accessible and all Kawartha Komets players, parents, caregivers and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there.

Kawartha Komets Face Off Against the Ptbo. Ice Kats Peewee AA's

Wow! What a great day at the Evinrude Centre for the Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program. The Saturns (Juniors) Galaxy (Intermediate 1) and Meteors (Intermediate 2) teams had their practice and then the Phoenix (Senior) team, with a few call-ups from the Intermediates, played the Peterborough Ice Kats Peewee AA team (a girls team).

It was a "friendly" game that had been arranged with the Ice Kats coach Chris Moher and our founder, Carol Fisher. Prior to facing off, both teams lined up at their respective bluelines for the playing of O Canada! Then the game was on! Referees Leigh Higley and Matt D'Agostini did an amazing job.

Music was played over the PA system during the line changes. The score didn't matter in a game like this. All I will say is that the Ice Kats put on amazing demonstration of skating and hockey skills. I'm sure that some of our players were a little surprised by the girls' expertise. Several Ice Kats parents, who hadn’t seen our Komets play before, commented on the hockey skills of our players and asked lots of questions about our program.

Thank you to our staff, players and families, the referees, Chris Moher and his staff and players for an exciting game. We're hoping to schedule another game with the Ice Kats before hanging up our skates for the season.

A great day at the rink for everyone involved. The fans enjoyed the game and told us afterwards. The Komets and the Ice Kats were BLAZING today!

Alex Darmonkow Takes the Plunge for the Komets

Dedicated adventurers headed to the causeway Sunday afternoon as Selwyn Polarfest wrapped up with the annual BEL Rotary Polar Plunge. Each team or individual raised pledges for charities of their choice before lining up to jump into the cold waters of Chemong Lake. This year's theme was Hockey Plunge in Canada, with many jumpers dressing up in themed costumes. Over its 39 years, nearly $1 million has been raised for area charities. - taken from the Peterborough Examiner
The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program was represented by one of our faithful on-ice volunteers, Alex Darmonkow, who took the plunge. Alex is one of our goalie coaches who attends Trent University. THANK YOU, Alex, for freezin' for the Komets. Next year I might even join you!

THANK YOU to those who supported Alex!!!

Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough Grant

The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program was thrilled to receive the following notification from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough:

"We are delighted to confirm that the Moustache Fund within the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough is making a grant of $2,350.00 to the Kawartha Komets.

The public recognition of grants provided by the Community Foundation builds awareness of our community impact and leads to greater support for the charitable sector in the City and County of Peterborough.

On behalf of the Foundation Board and staff, I wish you continuing success with the Komets."

Sincerely,

John Good/Executive Director 

NOTE: The Kawartha Komets are celebrating our 10th Anniversary this season with 4 teams and 60 players. This grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough will be used to further our mission of "providing girls, boys, teens and adults with physical, emotional and/or neurodevelopmental challenges an opportunity to play the game they love...HOCKEY" and to fulfill our mandate of "Making Dreams Come True".

A heartfelt thank you to the Community Foundation and the Moustache Fund for your generous grant!

Gratefully,

David Fisher/President/Kawartha Komets

For more information on the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, please check out their web site at www.cfgp.ca

Two Local Special Needs Hockey Teams Face Off

The Kawartha Komets and the Electric City Maroon and White, two Peterborough special needs hockey organizations faced off against each other again on Saturday, January 5th at the Evinrude Centre.

Who won?  Who cares?  Everybody had a great time and that's what it's all about!

BLAZE KOMETS, BLAZE!!!

A Surprise Visitor Just In From the North Pole

The Kawartha Komets Special Needs Hockey Program welcomed a special, unannounced guest at our December 22nd practice.  We heard a clatter on the roof at the Evinrude Centre and I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.

A great time was had by all!

Far too many photos/players to add captions right now but I'll do my best to add them later!