A single question launched five years of giving.
When Aaron Buckingham was asked to help Border City Connects replace an aging vehicle five years ago, he asked himself what this community loves. The answer was obvious: helping non-profits hockey.
What followed was the Play It Forward charity hockey game; and on April 17, it completed its fifth year, pushing the cumulative total raised for the organization past $300,000.
“Wow is all I can say,” Buckingham wrote in an April 18 social media post. “I couldn’t be more proud of all of you.”
This year alone, the event broke its single-day record, raising more than $83,000.
Play it Forward: How it worked
Forty-eight players laced up for the 12-hour game at Lloydminster’s arena. Each one must raise a minimum of $500 to earn a spot on the ice. Some raised more than $4,000 individually.
“Our players are the biggest thing,” Buckingham said. “That’s what gets us to our goals.”
Business sponsorship this year was the strongest in the event’s history, according to Buckingham. He credited Mike Sidoryk, interim executive director of Border City Connects, for leading that effort to get donations for Play it Forward again this year.
“The community support this year for business sponsorship is the biggest it’s ever been,” Buckingham said. “That’s a huge credit to Mike.”
Border City Connects operates year-round, offering door-to-door accessible transportation within Lloydminster for residents with mobility challenges. The medical caravan division extends that reach across the region, covering routes that would otherwise be out of reach for people without reliable transportation or the means to pay for it.
Play it Forward: Where the money goes
The needs have shifted as the event has matured.
Year one focused on replacing a van. The gap between a $60,000 grant and a $120,000 vehicle was the original problem to solve. The game closed it.
Years two and three funded out-of-town medical transport vans; vehicles that carry Lloydminster-area residents to appointments in Edmonton, Saskatoon, and communities in between. Two vans were purchased.
Now, with those vehicles in good shape and logging more than 1,000 trips per year, the focus has shifted to keeping them on the road.
“Tires are not cheap. Gas is not cheap,” Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers said at the event. “This helps to maintain that equipment.”
The service operates on a pay-what-you-can model. That means the organization absorbs costs every time a vehicle rolls out.
“We’re losing money every time we go out if you’re looking at the financials,” Buckingham said. “Not the point – but we need to make sure they can get there safely and that they can afford to get there.”
Built on a foundation of loss and loyalty
The event was conceived by Buckingham alongside Glenn Fagnan, a former Lloydminster city councillor and past executive director of Border City Connects, and Wendy Plandowski.
Fagnan’s name came up more than once Friday.
“Glenn was very passionate about this,” Mayor Aalbers said. “We’ve got people that he worked with that started and they’re still here today – and that’s tremendous.”
Buckingham’s social media post closed with a dedication: “This one’s for you, Glenn Fagnan.”
Looking ahead
Sidoryk says the organization is already planning its next major fundraiser, Ribfest, scheduled for Father’s Day weekend. Details are expected soon.
“We’ve got three rib trucks coming, and the Fry Guys, and some other exciting things that’ll start popping up,” Sidoryk said.
For now, the Play It Forward community is sitting with a milestone five years in the making.
“Without the players, this event would not happen,” Sidoryk said. “I just want to put my hats out to our hockey heroes.”
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