Like many Canadians, Theresa Nevills was stunned as she sat in front of her TV, hearing the tragic details of what had unfolded in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. “Everything that had come on the news, it was kind of shocking,” said Nevills, a retired member of the Royal Canadian Air Force who lives on Vancouver Island. Wanting to help from afar, Nevills nominated the northeastern B.C. community for this year’s Kraft Hockeyville competition after hearing the local community centre — which houses the town’s hockey rink — had become a gathering place for residents in the aftermath of the tragedy. She also turned to social media to try to rally support for the town’s bid. “I tried to garner as much attention from all across Canada as I could,” Nevills said. The annual Kraft Hockeyville contest awards the winning community $250,000 for arena upgrades and the opportunity to host a National Hockey League pre-season game. As part of the process, supporters were able to submit photos, stories and rally notes to help strengthen a community’s nomination. Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the support the town has received so far has been meaningful, particularly for young people. “Everybody is behind us, and it’s so great for our youth and our children and the community as a whole to see the support,” he said. “It’s coming in many forms that you don’t realize.” Krakowka said the community is doing its best to move forward, with children back in school and residents trying to return to normal routines. But he said the town is still grieving. “I see a lot of people talking whether that’s in the grocery stores or the bakery or restaurants,” Krakowka said. “Lots of people still hurting. It’s fairly fresh still.” Nevills said her goal in nominating the town was to remind residents they are not alone. “I wanted to make sure that people knew that this was helping Tumbler Ridge rebuild,” she said. The judging process is currently underway, and the provincial and territorial winners, who will each win $50,000 will be announced on March 14. The top two will then be announced on March 21, and the final voting will take place April 3. “Hopefully if we make it to the top two, people jump on and vote like crazy,” said Nevills.
