The fundraising to help Winnipeg addictions centre was held on Wednesday evening at the Met Theatre.
A lot of people gathered under the roof of the theater, among which there also were famous NHL stars. Several NHL players and icons of Canada's hockey broadcasting were seen at the Metropolitan Entertainment Centre on Donald Street to show their support at the same evening.
Scott Oake, a veteran CBC Sports announcer from Hockey Night in Canada spent the night in Canada-themed fundraiser to raise funds for the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre.
Winnipeg addictions centre will be named after Oake's son, who died of drugs at the age of 25 in 2011.
More than 400 people, including such famous people as Jonathan Toews, Ron MacLean and NHL stars Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry took part in the event. Bruce Oake said that he hopes to raise enough funds to support the work of such an important centre, because a lot of young people have drug addictions and suffer from them in modern times.
Every ticket for the event cost $300, the sponsors of the event paid $50,000. Oake noted that he plans to hold a similar event every year so that the center could receive enough money to improve its work.
However, the center faced certain problems. For example, its construction is planned in St. James and many people living there expressed their concern and said that they are against building the recovery centre next to their homes.
Winnipeg addictions centre will open its doors only for male residents of Winnipeg. They could get the necessary help and support as long as they need. Also, the centre will accept all comers, regardless of their standard of living and available means. Even people who do not have enough money or who have no money at all will be able to get help there.
Oake expressed his gratitude for the support of so many people who bought tickets and came to the event.
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