October 24, 2012 at 1:17 p.m.
Faceoff banquet, other donations raise over $9,000 for Rhinelander Ice Association
Faceoff banquet, other donations raise over $9,000 for Rhinelander Ice Association
The RIA held its third annual faceoff banquet, presented by BMO Harris Bank, at Holiday Acres Resort in Rhinelander.
Rhinelander Ice Arena manager Brett Aylesworth said roughly 75 people showed up for the banquet, which generated roughly $8,000 for the association. According to Aylesworth, attendance was up from 55 people last year.
"It's getting more popular," he said. "The word's getting out more and we have more community support in the way of sponsorship. With BMO Harris Bank stepping up as the title sponsor, that added to the community support we already get. We get all these donations from area business. It's a huge thank you to all of them, but also to BMO Harris."
Over 70 businesses and individuals donated live or silent auction items for the banquet, which generated most of the revenue for the evening. Aylesworth said the money will serve two purposes.
"Some of it is for capital improvements, which we basically just spent on the remodel. Some of it goes directly to our membership fund to help keep fees low," he said.
The RIA just completed renovating the lobby and bathrooms at the ice arena. Aylesworth noted the project was paid in full thanks to fundraisers like the faceoff banquet.
During the banquet, Holiday Acres presented the RIA a check totalling $1,299 over and above the money raised at the event. Aylesworth said Holiday Acres is a popular destination for those who travel to Rhinelander for hockey tournaments or figure skating events and is one of many area hotels and resorts that welcome the RIA's visitors with open arms.
"It was a donation back to the RIA for our support of them during the tournament season," Aylesworth said. "They do an excellent job with hockey teams. It's a real plus for the community. They do a tremendous job catering to the hockey teams, all of the hotels, not just Holiday Acres."
The banquet is held each year in conjunction with the start of the hockey and figure skating season.
"It's a good kickoff to the season," Aylesworth said. "We started practices for our youth teams Monday. It's the kickoff the season and gets people excited in the community. Our people are already excited, but it helps get the word out. Some people don't know what the RIA does for the community. I think it helps get that word out."
In addition to serving as the home for the Rhinelander High School boys' and Rhinelander/Antigo/Three Lakes girls' hockey teams, the Rhinelander Ice Arena hosts youth hockey games and tournaments, figure skating shows and is the home of the Rhinelander Street Cats of the Midwest Junior Hockey League.
The RIA will host the WAHA Peewee Class 3B state tournament March 16-17. In addition, the RIA will hold tournaments for girls' U12/U14 (Jan. 4-6), bantam (Jan. 11-13), peewee A-C (Jan. 18-20), squirt A-C (Feb. 15-17) and mite (Feb. 22-24) levels of hockey, plus figure skating shows Nov. 23 and Mar. 23-24.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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