‘No kid should go hungry’: Man starts ‘Wackdis’ charity ball hockey tournament in Chilliwack

“No kid should go hungry.”

Those are the words of Devin Baker, a Chilliwack man who’s organizing a charity ball hockey tournament to raise funds for the Starfish Pack Program.

This year marks the second year for the Wackdis Cup tournament, but it’s the first year he’s raising money for charity.

Baker is in a ball hockey league and he and his friends hadn’t played hockey in more than a year due to the pandemic. Within days of restrictions being lifted in June of 2021, he started up the tournament as a way to get the community to come together for a fun event and to meet new people.

The turnout was much bigger than he ever could have imagined.

“It was crazy huge,” he recalled.

Now he’s bringing back the event on Saturday, May 28, and this time it’s for charity.

“I love ball hockey so why not turn it into something good,” he said. “I wanted to turn it into a fundraiser because I had a really good turnout (last year) and my kids have the Starfish program in their school. I thought it was a really cool charity.”

The Starfish Pack Program started as a pilot project with six backpacks as a response to an Abbotsford teacher’s cry for help. She was feeding many of her Kindergarten students who were coming to school on Monday hungry. The hunger was affecting their moods and their ability to focus in class.

The program is now offered in 24 communities in B.C. including Chilliwack. It provides backpacks with two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and snacks to hungry students each weekend of the school year.

Here in Chilliwack, 215 packs are filled each weekend at 20 different schools.

Baker and his kids were outside Save-On-Foods in downtown Chilliwack a few weeks ago where they raised more than $800 for Starfish all while telling folks about the program and the Wackdis Cup.

The Wackdis Cup name comes from combining ‘Chilliwack’ and ‘Sardis’ together.

It’s a four-on-four tournament with six teams. Games are half an hour long and it’ll start with round robin games, then playoffs before the championship game for the Wackdis Cup. Players will get to put their name on cup, plus there are trophies for top player and goalie.

Players signing up for the tournament are asked to make a donation to take part in the event. Baker is also asking local businesses and members of the community to help with donations and supplies.

Last year he rented toilets for the tournament and he’s hoping to bring in enough donations to help offset costs such as that.

More volunteers are needed with things like refereeing or helping run the donation table. Although the teams are mostly filled up, Baker said there might be a few spots left for new players to join as some had to cancel.

Anyone wanting to volunteer, make a donation, or players wanting to get their name on the wait list can contact Baker at wackdiscup@gmail.com or 778-347-4413.

The Wackdis Cup charity ball hockey tournament for the Starfish Pack Program is scheduled for Saturday, May 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the tennis courts outside Chilliwack Secondary School. Spectators are also welcome to come and watch.

For more about the program, go to starfishpack.com/chilliwack.

The event might be postponed due to weather.

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