For many years, the community owned Blenheim Blades Junior ‘C’ hockey team (first formed in 1965) have been part of the group of local non-profits that volunteer with the Riverview Gaming Centre at their bingos in return for monthly donations from the Centre that help the team cover ever-increasing expenses. The Blades are one of the very few community-owned clubs left in the province, as most Major ‘A’, Junior ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams are now privately owned. With expenses of over $125,000 in a typical season, the Blades survive thanks
to businesses like the Riverview Gaming Centre. The money received from the Gaming Centre goes towards the purchase of items needed such as gloves, pants, helmets, trainer supplies and transportation expenses to hire buses for road games.
“I have been working bingos at Riverview for years and am very happy to do
so,” said Blades secretary Bill Saunders.
“The Blades get great support from Blenheim and Chatham-Kent businesses, but without the Riverview Gaming Centre and a couple of others, this junior hockey team with over a half century of existence would not