Wheat Kings Foundation grows, evolves

Advertisement

Advertise with us

The Brandon Wheat Kings Foundation is splitting away from the Western Hockey League team and taking on some new responsibilities as the need for its services grow.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!

As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.

Now, more than ever, we need your support.

Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.

Subscribe Now

or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.

Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on brandonsun.com
  • Read the Brandon Sun E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
Start now

No thanks

*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.

The Brandon Wheat Kings Foundation is splitting away from the Western Hockey League team and taking on some new responsibilities as the need for its services grow.

The idea first popped up a year ago.

“It came from the Memorial Cup bid that it would be a good idea to have an actual separate body looking after the foundation and taking it off the plates of the business staff, who are stretched pretty thin,” foundation co-chair Jason Roblin said. “The foundation has existed since ‘97 but it’s never been a registered charity, so we’ve applied for registered charity status.

Bill Fairbairn smiles as he and Glen Lawson became the inaugural inductees into the Brandon Wheat Kings Hall of Fame during the team’s Black and Gold Gala on March 14, 2024 at the Victoria Inn. The annual event is put on by the Brandon Wheat Kings Foundation, which is entering a new stage in its development. (Perry Bergson/The Brandon Sun)

Bill Fairbairn smiles as he and Glen Lawson became the inaugural inductees into the Brandon Wheat Kings Hall of Fame during the team’s Black and Gold Gala on March 14, 2024 at the Victoria Inn. The annual event is put on by the Brandon Wheat Kings Foundation, which is entering a new stage in its development. (Perry Bergson/The Brandon Sun)

“The education commitment for each Western Hockey League team keeps increasing so the responsibility of the foundation is increasing. There certainly needs to be some time and attention spent on that to make sure it’s sustainable for years to come.”

The foundation is necessary for things like 50-50 draws since they have to be held by non-profit organizations with a cause, which in this case is the education fund.

Although the two are obviously closely linked, there is a division between the team and the foundation now.

The foundation hired executive director Robbie Zetariuk in June, and has its own board of directors, including Roblin, co-chair Derrick Stewart, Gord Dowhan of Wawanesa Insurance plus Braden Compton.

“We’re trying to get it off the ground and then we’ll look for some extra members shortly,” Roblin said. “We’re going to look for volunteers as well. We’re going to have committees within the board but we’re starting small to get everything rolled out.”

The ties between the foundation and team are deep. Stewart is the team’s assistant governor, Compton is the accountant and Roblin is the chief executive officer of Vionell Holdings Partnership and vice president of operations for the Western Canada Hockey Academy, which are both owned by Wheat Kings owner Jared Jacobson.

“It’s separate books and separate mandates,” Roblin said. “Our mandate is fundraising and supporting scholarships of Western Hockey League players but our goal is to get some scholarships for younger players for hockey development as well.”

The foundation’s new executive director knows a lot about the scholarship program since her son Jesse, who played with the Red Deer Rebels, Moose Jaw Warriors and Everett Silvertips between 2002 and 2007, took advantage of it to go to school. The family also billeted Wheat Kings players, including Mark Stone.

Having a dedicated employee is expected to allow the foundation to increase what it does.

“There have always been events the foundation has put on but they’ve been run by the business staff, like the gala and the golf tournament,” Roblin said. “We’re trying to reach a few different fanbases like younger kids with the foundation by hosting some more events that are more community involvement. We’ve got an under-9 A1 classic this year Feb. 20 to 22, which is a tournament the foundation is hosting for seven and eight-year-olds.”

That is an under-serviced age group in Brandon since the youngest division in the annual Tournament of Champions is U11.

“This is an opportunity for those teams to come to Brandon, watch the Wheat Kings and play in a tournament,” Roblin said. “It’s certainly a fundraiser but it’s just a way to connect with a younger fanbase too.”

It’s hard to overstate how important it is for the foundation to raise money.

With the changes to NCAA’s rules last November that allowed major junior players to skate for college teams, the economics are rapidly changing. Veteran players have been flocking south of the border, and an influx of talented Americans into the WHL is expected because it won’t affect their college eligibility.

That’s having a major impact on WHL clubs.

“Our understanding is that more American kids will be coming here to play instead of playing in the USHL and that will increase the commitment for the scholarships required because what they get paid for in the scholarship agreement is one year of in-state tuition for every year they play,” Roblin said. “Sometimes, here (in Canada) it would be $5,000 to $10,000 per player, and there it could be $20,000 US.”

While it has a giant price tag, Roblin said the impact of the scholarship program is enormous.

Roblin points to Noah Danielson, the older brother of former Wheat Kings captain Nate. Noah is attending the University of Western Ontario with his WHL scholarship after parts of four seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers, and is working in Brandon this summer in accounting with Vionell Holdings.

“Those are the kind of people you want to recruit back to your community when they’re done school,” Roblin said. “People like that are hard to find. Employers, and I’m one of them, are always looking for talent but you’re looking for hard-working good people. The foundation should play a role in that.

“He didn’t happen to play in Brandon but it’s an example of someone who has taken a different path and is going to be successful in business in the future and hockey got him there.”

Another key element of the foundation’s mandate is reaching out to and connecting with former players, which hasn’t been an organizational strongpoint over the years.

The Wheat Kings did previously have an alumni association, but it’s been inactive in recent years.

“We’ve been engaging with a few local alumni to help us piece it together,” Roblin said. “We’re going to have an event this year for sure, probably just a homecoming weekend to get it started again. It’s certainly something we want to do, to reconnect with alumni and have them have an active role in the foundation.”

While Roblin said the discussions have been very informal, the response has been good. He added that Geoff McIntosh, who owns Princess Dental in Brandon and played with the team for four seasons between 2000 and 2003, has been especially willing to lend a hand.

The organization has its own website — www.bwkfoundation.ca — that is now up but will have more information added in coming weeks.

Roblin expects the foundation will continue to evolve as people interact with it in the future.

“The feedback will come,” Roblin said. “People will tell us what they really like and what they would like to see improved. Certainly alumni is something I know can be improved. You have to start somewhere so having a homecoming weekend and getting families out to games is a start but maybe there is something else we can do with them.

“Recognizing guys at the gala and inducting them into the Hall of Fame is a start too. It’s something that was never done in the past and it is nice to recognize those people who contributed to the memories of hockey fans in the area.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

Report Error Submit a Tip

Sports

LOAD MORE