Aboriginal young people and their families will be special guests of the Manitoba Moose, the RCMP and First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) of Health Canada for the 9th annual “Follow Your Dreams” night on Saturday, February 28 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, where they will enjoy watching the first-place Manitoba Moose take on the Peoria Rivermen.
The Manitoba Moose have made over 2,000 tickets available free of charge to Aboriginal youth and their families from across Manitoba. Event partners include the Manitoba Moose, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC), FNIHB, the Tribal Councils Investment Group and the RCMP.
The event focuses on healthy living, choices and suicide prevention and also offers a positive opportunity for youth to get to know RCMP members outside of the community setting. The RCMP will showcase different units, including the Forensic Identification Section, Recruiting, Community and Aboriginal Policing, Crime Stoppers, and the Operational Communication Centre.
There will also be information booths featuring the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships, AMC Youth Committee, and Suicide Prevention. During the evening, male and female Team Manitoba members participating in the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships will be introduced to the crowd.
Guest speaker for the evening is Gino Odjick, a member of the Algonquin tribe who has played on a number of NHL teams, including the Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and the Montreal Canadiens. Odjick often talks to Aboriginal youth about the difficulties of life on and off the reserve, and about the realities of substance abuse.
Participating youth will be treated to hot dogs, pop and popcorn. They will also have the opportunity to fill out a survey and receive a toque in return. Doors open to participants at 4:45 p.m. with pre-game events starting at 5:15 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. Doors open to the general public at 6:30, with the puck dropping at 7:30 p.m.
