CALGARY, Alta. – Edmonton, the City of Champions, will honour Canada’s champions as the Hockey Canada Foundation (HCF) plays host to its annual gala and golf tournament on June 28 and 29.

Hockey Canada announced on Tuesday that Edmonton will be the site of the annual event, which celebrates the on-ice accomplishments of Hockey Canada’s national teams. This year's celebration will focus on Canada’s success at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, where the men’s and women’s teams won gold medals.

“Edmonton is the perfect place to honour our athletes and the successes they have had in 2010,” says Bob Nicholson, president and CEO of Hockey Canada. “We expect the gala and golf tournament to add to Edmonton’s incredible sporting history.” 

The gala, which will include unique silent and live auctions, will be held at Edmonton’s Edmonton Marriott at River Cree Resort in cooperation with the River Cree Resort & Casino on June 28. Members of the 2010 men’s and women’s Olympic hockey teams, along with other celebrities, will be in attendance. Pierre McGuire and Gord Miller are the masters of ceremony.

“The evening will be one of celebration,” says Edmonton’s Doug Goss, event chairman. “This is all about recognition, memories and entertainment.”

Blackhawk Golf Course and Edmonton Petroleum Golf and Country Club will play host to the celebrity tournament on June 29. Each foursome will include a celebrity.

The Hockey Canada Foundation works closely with Hockey Canada to raise money to support minor hockey programs. The HCF focuses on five areas of funding: skill development and qualified coaching, accessibility and diversity, health and wellness, athlete and alumni support, and next-generation programming.

The majority of the funds that will be raised at the 2010 gala and golf tournament will go to support an outdoor minor hockey and public skating facility at TELUS Field in Edmonton. This project will be a partnership between the Hockey Canada Foundation, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and the City of Edmonton.

For more information on the gala and golf tournament, please click here to view the available sponsorship opportunities.