A road hockey tournament is being organized for a little boy who died from a rare form of cancer earlier this year.
Organizer Mike Boersma, who is Ronny Betterley's cousin, says the Tuukka Cup: 3-on-3 Road Hockey Tournament will be held at the East Kent Memorial Arena in Ridgetown on Saturday, August 25 and Sunday, August 26.
"I wanted to do a hockey tournament in memory of Ronny," Boersma says. "I thought there's no better way to commemorate him and his memory than through a road hockey tournament."
Ronny passed away in January at the young age of seven after battling a rare form of brain cancer called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma.
Boersma says Ronny loved road hockey more than anything.
"I remember we'd play road hockey out in his shed for hours on end and it seemed like he never wanted to stop playing," he says.
All the proceeds from the tournament will be donated to charities that are supported by the Betterley family, including Childcan, Ronald McDonald House, and Children's Wish Foundation.
"Ronny had a really large impact on the community. Everyone knew him and his smile running around the rinks," he says. "The Betterley family as well has been a big part of the Blenheim Ridgetown community."
Boersma says he is trying to raise awareness and money towards more research about Ronny's type of cancer. He says normally they only see one to two cases a year in the London area hospitals.
He any support the community can give would be greatly appreciated.
"We're currently looking for any sponsors, as well as volunteers. We'll need people to be running a barbecue, registration tables, and reffing the hockey games," he says.
Boersma says it is $100 per team to participate. Each team will have four players and a goalie. There's novice to midget age groups available as well. The deadline for registrations is June 30.
There will be barbecue throughout the tournament with snacks, juice, pop, and water.
