A local hockey tournament with heart hit a new milestone last weekend. The Ronald’s House of Champions Hockey Tournament, held from September 5th to 7th, raised over $101,000 in support of the Ronald McDonald House in Windsor, its highest fundraising total to date.

Now in its third year, the community-driven event was organized by Matt Tatomir, local McDonald’s Canada franchisee, along with Kingsville General Manager Ashley Incitti.

Together, they welcomed more than 2,500 attendees and 53 teams to the rinks at the Essex and Amherstburg community centres.

The tournament combined the excitement of hockey with the power of giving back.

Funds were generated through team registration fees, raffles featuring Detroit Red Wings, Tigers, and Michigan Wolverines tickets, a 50/50 draw, and a host of other fundraising activities.

All proceeds will go to support families staying at Ronald McDonald House Windsor, which provides a home-away-from-home for families with children receiving medical care.

“We are grateful for the support and collaboration of both the local community centres, our volunteers and of course, the amazing participants. Watching people come together to foster a healthy environment between sport and community is something we all should be proud of – especially considering the amazing cause we are supporting in that of RMHC,” said Tatomir.

With record attendance and donations, the future looks bright for this growing annual tradition.

Photos: Matt Tatomir and Ashley Incitti