MOOSOMIN — If you had the chance to lock someone up for a good cause, would you do it? The Moosomin Rangers are hoping you’ll say ‘yes’ on Dec. 20 while, during their last home game of the year, they’ll be holding the very first Sin Bin Fundraiser. It’s the Rangers’ take on a Jail and Bail where people can put others in the Sin Bin, which will be located in the arena lobby. Whoever finds themselves in the bin then needs to fundraise their way out.
The event is a fundraiser for the new daycare being built in Moosomin.
“It’s an opportunity for the daycare committee to promote the project and the building,” said Mike Schwean, Recreation Director with the Town of Moosomin and Rangers’ president.
He says choosing the PlayFair Daycare as the recipient of the special Sin Bin fundraiser was an easy decision to make.
“We are all somewhat close to the daycare and understand the importance of it,” Schwean said, noting many players and executive with the Rangers have children or grandchildren in childcare spaces. “It was actually a pretty easy decision.”
The daycare was granted an extra 90 spaces in the fall of 2023, which meant the group would need a second location in Moosomin. Armed with a plan and a location for the new building, PlayFair Daycare is now in fundraising mode to make the dream come true.
“I’m sure there will be a big crowd there, so it’s a good opportunity for them to promote their project and raise some money. Certainly, when people make their penalty calls and pay their money, we’ll make those announcements on the PA system during the game,” says Schwean.
A minimum donation of $50 lands someone in the Sin Bin, and that person then needs to raise at least twice the initial amount to get out. Some of the offences that might land one up in the Sin Bin include skating too slow, impersonating a Zamboni driver, and too much chatta, but officials (those nominating someone for the Sin Bin) can come up with their penalties in good humour and taste. Bribing an official lands a ‘get out early’ fee set at twice the original dollar amount, and mug shots will be taken for social media.
Even before the game, there’s a way to get someone locked in the bin. Phone in the person you’d like to send to the Sin Bin along with your donation. The Rangers will give that person a complimentary ticket to the Dec. 20 game, but once they get through the doors, it’s straight to the Bin! To toss someone in the Bin before the game, call the Rec Office at (306) 435-3622 or the Economic Development Office at (306) 435-2988.
“We’re looking at this as some public awareness of the program,” Schwean said, adding that members of the daycare board will be on hand to help with the event. “I think it’s a really good opportunity for them to promote the project in front of 500, 600, 700 people, so there’s benefits far beyond the amount of money we raise. There was a lot that went into it, but I think at the end of the day, for the executive, we understand that a lot of our players have kids or will have kids in the near future, and it will be important to them as well.”
In addition to the Sin Bin Fundraiser, the Dec. 20 home game will be a busy event. The Ranger Hall of Fame inductions and Minor Hockey Awards will happen in the Blue Moose Lounge pre-game.
“Another part of the game, the students are admitted free to that game, whether they are elementary or high school or university, they’re all admitted free,” Schwean said.
Before the game, Jess Moskaluke will sing O Canada.
“She’s done it a few times for us, and it’s nice for her to do that for us again,” Schwean said.
Other highlights throughout the game include the Team Spirit Award which will fete the most spirited minor hockey team in attendance with a pizza party at the Sportsplex. During the first intermission, the 2024 Rangers Hall of Fame inductees will be announced, and the 2024 Minor Hockey Award winner. The second intermission will see the Rocky Mountain Equipment shootout which has an estimated pot of $1,000. Post-game action includes the Rangers shootout Calcutta with guest announcer The Alberta Clipper and the Rangers Christmas Cabaret at the Conexus Convention Centre with music courtesy of DJ Megan Sparkle.
Rangers vs. Huskies
The puck drops at 8 pm at the Mike Schwean Arena in what could be an epic battle to round out 2024 as Moosomin plays host to the Oxbow Huskies.
“Oxbow’s a pretty good team,” Schwean said. “They’re a young team, we’re a good team, so it should be a really good hockey game. Oxbow always gives us trouble, there’s no quit in their legs, so we have trouble with them every year.”
Last year, the Rangers were poised to finish first in the regular season—until going to visit the Huskies.
“We ended up dropping down to third,” Schwean said. “Two teams tied first, and we were a point behind. That game cost us, and that cost us big in the playoffs because we did win, the last two rounds were sweeps, but four of the six games were on the road.”
At press time, Moosomin sits with a 5-0 record at the top of the Big 6 Hockey League, but Schwean says the guys haven’t really had a lot of time to practice.
“We’re 5-0, but we won the last two games in overtime, and we could have lost easily,” he said. “We had a close game with Midale. So, it looks really good on paper, but we haven’t been blowing teams out or anything. We haven’t played at home much, we really haven’t practised. The league starts as soon as we get the ice in, and so the guys really didn’t practise much.”
Another factor is the Miniota-Elkhorn C-Hawks taking a one-year hiatus from the Tiger Hills Hockey League, opening up some more player prospects for the Rangers as Moosomin became the closest team for many of their players to continue. It’s been a year of change in general with, Moosomin losing 10 players from last year.
“We lost guys and gained those guys and a few other guys, so we’re still looking to pick up a few guys as the season goes along here,” Schwean said.
Gearing up for the home game with Oxbow, Moosomin hits the road for their barn on Saturday for their first meeting of the season.
“Generally, Carnduff, Moosomin, Carlyle, Redvers are the big four,” Schwean noted. “Oxbow’s close, but we already won in Redvers, Carlyle, and in Carnduff this year. So if we can just win that one in Oxbow, we should be rolling, but you never know, we lost there last year!”
