Hockey Day in Canada was celebrated in Nelson, BC this year as the CBC broadcasted from the Nelson Community Complex with Ron MacLean, Don Cherry and others. Playing up to the theme of the day, Kootenay Christian Fellowship (KCF), a church in Nelson, sponsored a men’s breakfast with hockey great, Ryan Walter, and went one step further getting the Stanley Cup.

The event was held at the historic Hume Hotel in downtown Nelson on Saturday, January 13th. KCF pastor, Jim Reimer, arranged for the actual Stanley Cup to be in attendance along with former Stanley Cup winner Ryan Walter as the special guest speaker.

Others in attendance were BC MLA Corky Evans, Nelson Mayor John Dooley and many City of Nelson staff workers.

The purpose of the breakfast was two-fold. Reimer wanted to do something for the community as well as raise funds for a project that his church and the Nelson Rotary Club have been working on.

They are raising funds for one of the poorest villages in Central America called San Pablo La Laguna, Guatemala.

Walter retired from professional hockey in 1993 after playing 15 seasons in the National Hockey League. He was named captain during his four years with the Washington Capitals, and played nine seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, winning the Stanley Cup in 1986 (Editor’s note: defeating the Calgary Flames). He played his last two years with the Vancouver Canucks.

Walter became a Christian while with the Capitals and since retiring has been an inspirational speaker across Canada. He was excited to work with Reimer on this project.

The church, with the help of the Rotary Club, has raised over $16,000 including $400 from the breakfast. The KCF missions’ team will be traveling to the village on February 7th. Once there, they will install stoves they purchased for 100 families.

The stoves, made by The ONIL Stove Company in Addison, Texas, will significantly reduce the amount of wood needed to be purchased and used for open fire cooking. They will increase the health and safety of the women and children in the homes.

The team will also be looking at how to best bring in fresh water and sanitation, since 500 of the 860 homes in the village have no washroom facilities. Addressing a 95% illiteracy rate, they will be bringing in school supplies and looking to eventually provide a teacher.

"If you believe you are going to achieve something, you need to know what it is; what the end result is going to look like," Walter said.

With God’s help, Kootenay Christian Fellowship will help change the future of this village.

If you would like to help support this mission, visit www.KootenayChristianFellowship.com.