Saturday’s Linden Cup Christmas Classic could be the final chapter
By Ryan McCracken on November 23, 2018.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken The Linden Cup Christmas Classic returns to the spotlight for a fifth consecutive holiday season on Saturday at the Family Leisure Centre — but it could be the last time the Canucks and Tigers battle it out in support of the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank and KidSport. Keith Gronning has been behind the helm of the event ever since its inception — helping it grow from a simple pickup game between friends to a community fundraiser responsible for drumming up nearly $40,000 for local charities —but the demands of a growing family and a new business have made organizing the event a challenge. As a result, Gronning says he’s likely to focus on his family next holiday season, but with any luck someone else will pick up the torch. “I don’t necessarily want it to be the last one. It just might be the last one with me being the head organizer,” said Gronning. “There is potential that individuals may step up and take over the role as head organizer and it could continue. It might even kind of transform into a similar, but new event. Any one of those possible routes are very likely. For all I know, next year at this time I might just get a second wind and say ‘Let’s go for another.'” The event kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with a free family skate — including free skate rentals — that runs through 5 p.m., followed by the Linden Cup hockey game at 5:15 p.m. A bucket draw featuring donated items from local businesses will run through the day, while the Family Leisure Centre will also be hosting the Hip Health Hooray Expo Saturday. “The Leisure Centre and Source for Sports are actually giving us a full dressing room of hockey skates that patrons can rent for free, so anyone and everyone can come to the skate,” he said. “They’re doing their own community day and they’ll have bouncy castles and things, and different organizations giving information whether it’s mental or physical health, or just family health.” Gronning added that support from the community has been the driving force behind growing the Linden Cup over the past few years, as well as contributions from the Trevor Linden Foundation. “The community support has been absolutely amazing. Even just the support from individuals that used to be from Medicine Hat, like Trevor Linden, it’s been amazing,” said Gronning. “Not only for me, but I think I can probably speak on behalf of most of the group that is involved, it’s made us feel a little more important than we normally do, especially within the community. It’s given us pride that we can give back to a community, like we have, that really gives a lot to us.” The matchup itself will feature a Game 5 rubber match between Gronning’s Canucks and Carter Sohn’s Tigers. Gronning says Tanner Sohn — a former Medicine Hat Tiger who captained Gronning’s opposition for the past four events — will be unable to make it to this year’s game, but his younger brother Carter will fill the role. “If my team wins, maybe that will be one more reason for me to at least retire my team and let someone else continue,” said Gronning. 11
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