A trio of legends from the Alberta hockey world will take to the stage at the first-ever 3D Children’s Charity Gala.
Headlining the event will be Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup-winning Defenceman Paul Coffey and Calgary Flames legend Lanny MacDonald, with Alberta Sports Hall of Fame member and legendary hockey TV personality Ron MacLean, set to host the evening.
3D Charity Chairman Darren Foley says because it’s the 20th anniversary of  3D Children’s Charity, they needed something special to try and make the event bigger than ever.
“Ron and I had been talking back and forth and he said ‘what do you need me to do, and when do you need me to be there.’ We then worked with the Oilers and Flames to get the other guys here, it’s very exciting.”
Foley says the first few years of the event were ‘lean,’ and stayed that way until word started to spread within the local hockey community, with players chomping at the bit year over year to take part.
With all proceeds from the hockey and soccer tournaments going towards helping to pay the bills for sick children from all three Grande Prairie school districts, Foley knows the more they can raise the more they can help those who need it the most.
“It’s not cheap to go to Stollery (Children’s Hospital) and stay there for a month, six months or up to a year. If they’re getting leukemia treatment, that’s three years they’re back and forth to Edmonton. I can’t even imagine what those bills are like and that’s where we step in.”
The gala will take place on December 2nd with the tournaments happening in the Spring of 2020. 3D Charity has raised over $1 million since the first event ran in 1999.