Heritage school hockey game against police force supports Navan cancer patient

The elementary school’s team made up of students and staff won the game 9-7 over the Ottawa Police Service’s squad to the (ear-piercing) cheers of the entire school’s population in the stands.

Ottawa Senators mascot Spart-a-cat made an appearance along with Santa Claus, who both signed autographs for the youngsters.

“It’s fun and it builds school spirit as well,” says Heritage principal Anne-Marie Currier. “We’re a family at Heritage. It’s not a big school and we hate to see anybody ill or going through a difficult time.”

Morgan Wall is fighting a rare form of cancer that attacks soft-tissues in her muscles. She needs a wheelchair to get around – a large part of the expenses for her family – and spends much of her time at CHEO.

Morgan went to kindergarten at Heritage but isn’t in school with her Grade 1 classmates this year, although she is able to stay at home instead of at the hospital at the moment.

“Her teachers are really rooting for her,” Currier notes, adding they hope she’ll be well enough to come back in the future. “She’s showing a lot of spunk in fighting this.”

Money was raised through the $2 admission to the game, as well as draws for prizes – the most popular of which was to spend a half-day with Cst. Marc Soucy, the lead organizer of the event for the police force.

“I’m delighted by the way the community has supported us – not just the school,” Currier says, noting many parents sent back $20 instead of the $2 required for a ticket. “It’s a very close community and it never ceases to amaze me that people really pull together when there’s someone in need.”