vees:blog

Joey Holka, Luke Curadi, Joel Rumpel and Byron Sorensen were all at Queen’s Park Elementary School today to read with the grade 5 class and play a game of street hockey.

The Vees will visit over a dozen schools in the South Okanagan this season to talk about the importance of reading and staying fit.

Lorna Shultz Nicholson, Neil Jamieson, 11 Vees players, members of the local media, and hundreds of rabid young Vees fans were on hand at Wiltse Elementary today to start off another winter of the ‘Read to Succeed’ program.

Throughout the winter the Vees will visit about a dozen South Okanagan elementary schools from Summerland to Oliver. The Vees have a simple message to pass on: READ!

The Vees introduced themselves to the ogling youngsters to open the day, Assistant Coach David Small spoke about the importance of success in the classroom, and Lorna Schultz Nicholson read a few passages from her hockey books that the programs uses. The kids had a look at the new Canadian Olympic jersey, learned about sledge hockey, and Neil Jamieson presented the school with vouchers to be used for Vees home games.

Elsewhere along the way, the big boys got to eat lunch with the students, answer questions, and compete in a raucous floor hockey game in the gymnasium against the grade five class!

The Read to Succeed program was started by the Vees, has been adopted by all BCHL teams and is now spreading into Alberta.

For more photos (more…)

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The Vees are inviting fans to come down to the rink early for the first three home games of the year. Global Spectrum’s Director of Marketing Ryan McCarthy has the full details.

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This week we get former Vees Forward Cory Schneider (of Ohio State University) on the phone line, release another edition of the Interior Conference Power Rankings, get an insider interview from the Quesnel Millionaires Board of Directors, take a look at the Acadian Mechanical 3 Star Standings, tally the Rock Hard Hits of the Season for Desert Stone Custom Granite, spin the highlights of the weekend that was, and much much more.

Boston Pizza Vees This Week runs 6-7 on EZ Rock AM 800, myezrock.com, in the BCHL’s Fanzone, and is posted Monday evenings right here on the Vees Blog.

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Devon Krogh, Derik Johnson, Joey Holka and Ryan Viselli were at Uplands Elementary School today on the final stop of the 2008/2009 Read to Succeed program.

The players started the day by visiting every class from Kindergarten to Grade 5. The 4 Vees read to each group, answered questions, and awed their pint-sized fans.

The day was capped with a raucous game of basketball in the gym.

Here’s how it sounded…

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Happy Holidays! The Vees Blog is ramped up for the final 21 games of the season… THE STRETCH DRIVE!

From here on out points seem to be that much more valuable, and palms that much sweatier come the third period.

What’s done is done, over the next 7 and half weeks we’ll find out who has home ice, who is clinging by fingernails, who can make the big trade, and who is the team to beat heading into the playoffs.

WEDNESDAY the Vees look to celebrate NYE by continuing their home success over the Trail Smoke Eaters. Johnny Reid is playing a NYE show at the Convention Centre following the game, and you can buy tix for both at a discount (take a taxi not your truck).

FRIDAY is a lock to be one of the biggest crowds of the season at the SOEC as CBC’s TV Cameras will be rolling in Penticton as our fair city attempts to win the annual billing of the top hockey town in the nation otherwise known as KRAFT HOCKEYVILLE 2009! Tix are just $5, and minor hockey players wearing their jerseys will be admitted free of charge (yes, you read that correctly)!

SATURDAY the Vees host the Prince George Spruce Kings and former Vees forward Vinny Muchalla. The Vees have won each of the 3 meetings between the clubs this season.

It’s nearly 2009! Hope you have some bubbly on ice.

With not a ton of rainbows, lollipops and sunshine surrounding the team after suffering their third straight loss (one was in Overtime) last night in Westside, let’s look back at a much happier Sunday afternoon and the community skate at the SOEC.

I spoke with Logan Johnston, Ryan Viselli, Matt Paltridge and Neil Jamieson at the event.

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Here’s a great opportunity to meet your favorite Vees on the ice!

Sunday afternoon the Vees are hosting a Community Skate at the SOEC.

Here are the details.

The Vees were at Wiltse Elementary School this morning to sign autographs, meet some of their biggest fans and underline the importance of reading as a life skill.

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