When it came time to put together two teams for the Winnetka Park District’s 3rd annual Oldtimers Wounded Warrior Parent/Child fundraising hockey game, there was a slight problem: Too many players.
The solution? Four teams played two games at the Winnetka Park District ice arena, said Tom Gullen, facilities manager.
A big draw of the December event is that fathers, sons and daughters can play on the same team, he said, adding that five daughters and more than a dozen sons played with their fathers this year.
“Many of the guys have kids between the ages of 14 and 25 who grew up playing hockey,” Gullen said. “Every dad out there walked away thinking this is really neat that I raised kids that play this game and we do it for a really nice cause around the holiday period. It’s a feel good experience for everybody involved.”
Retired NHL, junior hockey and New Trier High School players suited up for the games and said that while “body checking” was not allowed, it was still intense.
“It was very fast and competitive,” said Gullen, who played in one of the two games.
“I think there’s a little bit of bravado when you’re in your late 40s and 50s and you’re trying to keep up with 18- and 19-year-old kids,” he said. “It makes the game go faster that it normally would if it was just us. Everybody likes to win.”
Randy Lauer, “Oldtimers” president and Winnetka resident, took over the tournament from his father and in a statement issued by the park district he described the event as a unique opportunity for fathers to play the game they love with their sons and daughters while raising funds for The Wounded Warrior Project.
The group’s website states its mission as fostering the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members “in our nation’s history,” and also raising awareness and enlisting the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members.
Gullen said the Winnetka tournament raised about $12,000, the most to date.
“After you got off the ice, you were exhausted and you said that was a lot of fun,” he said with a chuckle. “Everybody left with all body parts intact.”
