YORKTON – Yorkton Minor Football held their Football Night In Saskatchewan fundraiser May 4 at St. Mary's Cultural Centre.
The event featured live music from Yorkton's All That Jazz band, a cheerleading performance by Gridder Cheerleading, auctions, presentations as well as several speakers for the 360 people in attendance.
"It's our biggest annual fundraiser," told Darcy Zaharia, Vice President and Treasurer with YMF, in an interview with SASKTODAY.ca.
Zaharia said the funds raised from the event will go towards the purchase helmets, shoulder pads, line-painting and coaching clinics, among other things, and noted the fundraiser "had more sponsors this year than any other year."
Speaking at the event were local sport icons Don Chesney and Noah Zerr.
"He's a local legend — hockey guy," said Zaharia of Chesney, adding, "we know it's not football but it's sports stories — and coaching and life-lessons go through all sports — so he's our keynote and we're very excited to have him," said Zaharia.
Chesney was General Manager for the Yorkton Terriers in their 2014 run that saw the team win the Canalta Cup, Western Canada Cup and Royal Bank Cup. As a result, Chesney was inducted into the Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame that same year.
Zerr signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders at the tail-end of 2023 and is a YMF success story according to Zaharia.
"He's what we wanted to showcase our program for — it's a kid that played Yorkton Minor Football and then went on to play high school football ... it's a great example for kids to see that a local guy can make it into the pros," said Zaharia.
