Regional police and fire departments set to battle on the ice in WRHN Kids fundraiser
News Release
Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. | Oct. 23, 2025
Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) Foundation hosts its second annual 911 Hockey game next Saturday, with regional police and fire services lacing up the skates for a friendly, philanthropic effort aimed at raising money for children’s care in our community.
A team from Waterloo Regional Police Services (WRPS) will play a team from the City of Cambridge Fire Department at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Nov. 1. Ticket sales and other on-site activations will support pediatric services at WRHN, the recently merged hospital in Kitchener-Waterloo.
Tickets – $10 for adults and $5 for children – can be purchased at 911hockey.ca. The game runs from 3 to 5 p.m. on Dom Cardillo Arena – the main ice pad at the Aud. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.
Last year’s event raised $4,000 to advance pediatric care in the region.
“With this charity hockey game, we aim to give WRHN’s smallest patients a big boost,” says Ashley Howat, VP Strategic Initiatives at WRHN Foundation. “Each day, WRHN’s pediatric team responds to the unique and complex needs of children across our communities – from newborns to teenagers – and as our regional population grows, we strive to add more programs, services, and innovation that can keep care close to home for kids and their families.”
Keeping care close to home means less travel, fewer expenses and more time together as a family when children are battling illness or injury.
As WRHN’s pediatric centre continues to expand, donor generosity is essential to ensure kids and families have access to specialized equipment, treatment and support when they need it most.
“Participating in the 911 Hockey game is a wonderful opportunity for us to support the pediatric services at WRHN and give back to the community. We are proud to lace up our skates for such a meaningful cause, helping ensure that children in our Region receive the care they need close to home,” says WRPS Chief Mark Crowell.
WRHN’s children’s program includes:
- childbirth unit that welcomes approximately 4,700 babies per year neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), providing specialized care for newborns who require intensive medical support.
- children’s inpatient unit, including 12 beds plus a designated space for day surgery patients
- outpatient services that include an eating disorder program, a pediatric cardiac clinic, asthma clinic, cystic fibrosis clinic, a Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) satellite clinic and more.
Images available for download. Please credit: Waterloo Regional Health Network Foundation
WRHN Foundation media contact:
Melissa Couto
Communications Specialist
About Waterloo Regional Health Network Foundation
Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) Foundation raises funds to support life-saving care at Waterloo Regional Health Network. WRHN Foundation works in partnership with our community to help elevate the healthcare experience of WRHN patients and staff.
Thanks to generous support from donors, we raise funds for vital equipment, programs and resources at WRHN that are not covered by the Ontario Ministry of Health.
Learn more at WRHNF.ca
About Waterloo Regional Health Network
Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN, pronounced wren) represents the merger of two Hospitals into a single, integrated healthcare organization. Built on over 90 years of partnership, WRHN is home to seven regional programs and comprehensive healthcare services to meet the current and emerging needs in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond. WRHN is redefining the healthcare experience through collaboration and innovation, addressing barriers to access, advancing care delivery, and setting new standards in compassionate, empowered, community-driven healthcare. At WRHN, every patient is at the centre of everything we do as we strive to improve lives, inspire healing, and build healthier, stronger communities.
Learn more at wrhn.ca
