Daily Herald
Local cadets and Prince Albert firefighters, police officers, corrections officers, and paramedics will once again face-off in the Hunger Games on Wednesday.
The annual event will be held at the Prince Albert Grand Council Urban Services Gym (previously the Margo Fournier Center) on Dec. 3rd, with the first competition starting at 5:30 p.m.
“Apart from raising funds, we want the kids to know the Police (and other officers ) on a more personal level, to see that we are actually real human beings and see us in a different light,” said Rick Sanderson, PAGC Justice Director and Cadet Coordinator/Instructor, First Nations Cadet Corps. “It will also expose our cadets to different career opportunities especially in the public service.
The event is put together by the Prince Albert Division and the Sturgeon Lake Division of the First Nations Cadet Corps (FNCC). Since taking over, they have expanded the event to include police agencies, first responders and other organizations.
“We started again three year ago and each year more and more teams join,” Sanderson said. “This year we have a total of 14 teams taking part.
This year’s participating teams are Studgeon Lake Division, Montreal Lake/Prince Albert Division, the Prince Albert Police Service, RCMP, Fire Fighters Association, Air Cadets, Corrections Canada, Parkland Ambulance who were the 2023 winners, PAGC Wildlife Protection Services, Provincial Corrections, Saskatchewan Conservations and Saskatchewan Marshals Services.
The cadets and emergency responders will compete in a number of athletic events to determine the Hunger Games champion. The list of games includes volleyball rally, planking (male and female), basketball rally, basketball foul shot, shooting, Candy drop and a blind relay.
“The main portion of this games is the Christmas Spirit Award and what that means is that each team is tasked to raise as much money or food items as they can for the Prince Albert Food Bank,” Sanderson said. “The team that raises the most will win the Christmas Spirit Award.”
The Hunger Games started in 1998 when the original First Nations Cadet on the Carry The Kettle challenged the local RCMP to a volleyball game, with the intention of having fun and for the kids to relate with the local officers on a personal level. The Prince Albert Division and the Sturgeon Lake Division of the First Nations Cadet Corps (FNCC) have taken this on now and have expanded to include other groups.
Each organization participating is challenged to raise as many funds as possible or food items to give to the Food Bank for Distribution to needy families this holiday season.
Harold’s Family Foods have once again partnered with the organizers to create hampers for purchase to be provided to the food bank on behalf of that donor. The donor can identify which organization or team that they want these donor points to go towards to help them possibly win the Christmas Spirit Trophy this year.
The organizers also added that food item costs are estimated to determine points as such a dollar is one point.
Residents can pay with a credit card over the phone by calling Harold’s Family Foods, or pay by visiting the store in person.
Residents can purchase between six different hamper types, which range from $50 to $200 in value.
