In its second year, a weekend of camaraderie, competition and community spirit expands to fill two arenas in Esquimalt.
The Ken Gill and Forrest Owens Memorial Hockey Tournament brings together first responders and community members to honour the two late firefighters, raise mental health awareness and promote resilience in the first responder community.
"This tournament is a celebration of camaraderie, but it's also an important reminder that the challenges our firefighters face extend far beyond the fire-ground,” said Esquimalt Fire Chief Matt Furlot. “We are committed to not only remembering those we've lost but continuing the work they started, fostering mental wellness and providing the support that first responders so desperately need."
Games run April 4 and 5 in both Archie Browning and Wurtele arenas. Originally conceived as a single hockey game to honour fallen first responders, the event has grown into a full-fledged tournament celebrating the legacies of Gill and Owens, who devoted their lives to the fire service and advocating for mental health and wellness among first responders.
"Our first responders need more than just physical support; they need mental health tools and the space to address the invisible wounds of this profession. This event, with its speakers and wellness booths, is a step in that direction, giving our firefighters and their families the support they deserve,” Furlot said.
The tournament serves as a reminder of the challenges firefighters face – both physical and mental – and the wraparound events of the tournament highlight that. Gill died by suicide in 2018 and Forrest from job-related cancer in 2022.
Guests are invited to hear a talk led by registered clinical counsellor Julie-Anne Richards, sharing valuable tools for optimizing mental wellness and tackling post-traumatic growth, on April 5 at noon in the upper lounge at the Archie Browning Arena.
Teams include fire departments from Esquimalt, Victoria, Central Saanich, Saanich, Sidney, DND, Nanaimo, Oak Bay, Langford and View Royal/Colwood. Each department raises funds for its own charity, including Esquimalt Neighbourhood House, Courtnall Society, Wounded Warrior Canada, Peninsula Food Bank, Goldstream Food Bank and the Victoria Hospitals Foundation (earmarked for NICU).
All tournament events are open to the public and free of charge. A detailed game schedule is online at Esquimalt.ca/events.
