The Pas Huskies earn $15K for local homeless shelter with Good Deeds Cup win

A pee-wee hockey team from The Pas has made a big impact on a local homeless shelter after winning a national contest worth $15,000 Monday.

The Pas Huskies were the ultimate winners of the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup, awarded to a team that was judged to have had a big charitable impact on their community.

Reached by phone Monday morning, assistant coach Jerome Conaty called the win huge, both for the team and for Oscar's Place, the charity they chose to receive the prize money.

"The morning's been pretty hectic," Conaty said. "Chevrolet set it up so the kids would be surprised. They redid all our rink and one of the dressing rooms."

When the team came to practice Monday morning, they found the Good Deeds Cup sitting at centre ice.

"You could tell the kids were like, 'Is this a dream? Is this really happening?' It was awesome."

Oscar's Place

It all started in November when the Huskies decided to help serve a meal at Oscar's Place, a homeless shelter in The Pas, as a team-building exercise. 

Before they served their meal, they heard about the Good Deeds Cup, which gives teams an opportunity to win several thousand dollars for their favourite charity. To take part all they had to do was submit a video of the team doing a "good deed."

That video proved popular across the country and garnered them a top-three finish among the numerous hockey teams that had entered. It also guaranteed Oscar's Place, which is in danger of losing their home, at least $5,000.

The final three were reviewed by judges who decided on the winner. Oscar's Place will now receive $15,000 from Chevrolet. 

Conaty called The Huskies' effort "remarkable."

"We're a tiny team in a tiny association in a tiny town in a remote community in the middle of nowhere, and we just got recognized nationally and it's huge.

"It's amazing. It's a great feeling inside."

Asked what the team's next good deed would be, Conaty replied: "Good deeds don't stop. Good deeds are things that get done every day by every person."