A Chilliwack man who is gearing up for an annual fundraiser to help feed hungry kids is hoping someone will be able to take over the event after he moves away.
Devin Baker started the Wackdis Cup ball hockey tournament a few years ago and over the past two years he raised nearly $4,000 for Starfish Pack, a program that provides food to kids in need and their families within the Chilliwack School District.
This year, the event is set for Sunday, May 26. But after three years of running the tournament and two year of raising money for a good cause, this will be his last year organizing the Wackdis Cup because he and his family are moving to Quesnel.
“I’m trying to get someone to take this over… not only for the Starfish program, but also for the memory of our friend,” Baker said. “It’s a tournament that brings all that together.”
Baker created the Aaron Tschritter memorial trophy, named after his buddy and fellow ball hockey teammate who died in a crash in Dallas. The trophy is handed out at the Wackdis Cup tournament to the player who gets the highest score in the skills competition.
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The Wackdis Cup name comes from combining ‘Chilliwack’ and ‘Sardis’ together.
The tournament started back in 2021 as a fun post-pandemic ball hockey tournament, and it turned into a fundraiser the following year. He credits his wife for suggesting he raise money for Starfish Pack, a program offered at numerous schools in the district including Central Elementary where his children attend.
“I thought, ‘Wow, that’s actually a really great idea.’ Hockey is my passion, but I’m a father so obviously my children are my number ones and I would hate for them to ever go hungry.”
He said it was a “no-brainer” to put hockey and raising money to help feed kids together.
This year and last year he held a logo design contest for the kids at Central Elementary. There are six teams in the tournament so each of the six grades (Kindergarten to Grade 5) were assigned one team for which to draw a logo. The kid in each grade with the winning entry got their logo on the jersey, and was also given a jersey.
All of the jersey costs were paid for by a sponsor, allowing him to donate more money to Starfish.
In 2022, he raised about $1,300 and last year it was doubled to more than $2,600.
“I’m probably not going to be able to double it this year, but I’m going to try,” Baker said
Money raised comes from those who sign up to play in the tournament, players who take part in the skills competition, sponsors, and donations from the general public. Each year he spends a day outside Save-On-Foods and collects donations.
The Starfish Pack program started as a pilot project with six backpacks as a response to an Abbotsford teacher’s cry for help. She was feeding many of her Kindergarten students who were coming to school on Monday hungry. The hunger was affecting their moods and their ability to focus in class.
The program is now offered in more than 20 communities in B.C. including Chilliwack. It provides backpacks with two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and snacks to hungry students each weekend of the school year. Here in Chilliwack, 275 packs are filled each weekend at 22 different schools.
The Wackdis Cup charity ball hockey tournament to raise money for the Starfish Pack program is Sunday, May 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the outdoor tennis courts at Chilliwack Secondary School.
Anyone wanting to help out with the event by volunteering, sponsoring, or wanting to take over organizing the tournament can contact Devin Baker at devinbaker1313@gmail.com or call 778-347-4413.
READ MORE: ‘No kid should go hungry’: Man starts ‘Wackdis’ charity ball hockey tournament in Chilliwack