Solway Sharks ice hockey team and their young counterparts Solway Sharks Juniors joined forces in the name of a good cause, and donated £300 to a charity close to their hearts.
Local charity champion Michael Pattie lost his 13-year-old son Dave to meningitis in 1999, when he was an up-and-coming player in the then Dumfries Juniors team. Since then Michael, along with wife Patsy, has made it his mission to raise thousands of pounds for the Meningitis Research Foundation with a variety of events.
Current Solway Sharks captain Struan Tonnar, who was a Dumfries Junior along with Dave Pattie, joined forces with the junior club to put on a fun-day event at Dumfries Ice Bowl, and both parties decided they wanted to donate the proceeds to the charity in memory of Dave, who would have turned 30 last year. Struan said, “Several of the Sharks family, now coaches and players, were involved with the club when Dave Pattie played, and he is frequently talked about at the rink. We wanted to do something to raise money in his memory, and a fun-day that encouraged kids to come along and try skating and ice hockey seemed like a great idea. The Junior Sharks came on board and helped, and we had a terrific day. The rink was mobbed, and we raised £300 for Meningitis Research.”
Struan, along with representatives of Solway Sharks Juniors, caught up with Michael and Patsy Pattie last weekend while they were raising funds with an all-day gigathon round Dumfries and presented them with a cheque.
Picture shows (L-R) Solway Sharks captain Struan Tonnar, Solway Juniors Liam Stenton, Luke and Lewis Houston, Kyle Johnston (hidden) and SSJIHC Chairman Graeme Houston with Michael Pattie (third left).
