Face-Off Against Hunger hoping for high numbers in the stands and on the donation scoreboard  

By Greg Price
Taber Titans Charity

Coming off the heels of a hugely successful 4 Nations Face Off hockey tournament, the Taber Food Bank and Taber Titans Charity are hoping locals will show similar pride in watching another type of face off.

The second annual Face-Off Against Hunger goes Saturday, March 8 at the Taber Arena.  

“There are so many service groups coming together for this great cause with the common goal to help those in need,” said Tamara Miyanaga, volunteer event co-ordinator for Taber Food Bank.

Taber Titans board members and friends will lace up the skates to play in the game against teams with Taber Minor Hockey, Taber Fading Sons and Taber Police and friends playing among the three periods of play.

But, not before things get started off with Citizen of the Year Edmund Zaiser giving the ceremonial puck drop at 1 p.m.

“We couldn’t have thought of a better person to do it,” said Taylor Gouw, president of Taber Titans Charity. “He loves hockey as a huge Edmonton Oilers fan and he regularly volunteers for the Taber Food Bank.”

The game will feature all types of fun for the family, with a youth choir setting the spirit led by Kenady Demers with a rousing rendition of O’Canada before the game.

Special guest players will include mayor Andrew Prokop and Taber’s boxing son and all-around nice guy Joel Mills.

Period intermission will highlight the U7 hockey players giving it their all for spectators as well.

“We help disadvantaged youth play sports and those financial hardships can go even further upstream with young families struggling with food security as they face rising household costs,” said Kyle Davidson, secretary for Taber Titans Charity. “The Titans and Taber Food Bank’s mandates align and we are honoured to be considered part of this initiative.”

Admission is a food or cash donation. The giving spirit can also include a chance to win 50/50, door prizes, an exciting shoot out to raise money, including $5 tickets for a chance to win $10,000. Among the great door prizes are tickets to Cornstock music festival.

 “Spider Entertainment and Saunders Insurance has always been a very generous corporate partner to the Taber Food Bank and Taber Titans,” said Tyler Kerner, a Titans board member. “They are a sign of a very giving Taber and M.D. community overall.”

The chance to win does not end there. Your entry donation gives you a chance to win one of two $1,000 IGA grocery cards up for grabs.

 Taber Food Bank is coming off the momentum of a successful Coldest Night of the Year, with hopes hockey fans will be just as giving to Face-Off Against Hunger.

Taber Food Bank won the Spirit of Taber at the Taber and District Chamber of Commerce awards in mid-January. There they highlighted the troubling trend of ever-increasing food bank use locally, a trend mirroring the rest of Canada as well which saw record use of food banks nationally in 2024.

 “Food insecurity is affecting more and more families. Putting children to bed hungry or deciding to buy food over utilities, creates another level of stress,” said Miyanaga. “Without events like Face-Off Against Hunger, Coldest Night of the Year, food drives and 50/50 we could not feed the community. The Vegetable Garden has also become critical. The community, service clubs and businesses come together in unity. March 8 we hope families will fill the stands, cheer their team, and have a great time all while supporting an important cause.”