Tag: Mark Stiles

Foundation strikes two more partnerships

OKOTOKS (June 27, 2025) — The non-profit Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation continues to add to its organization . . . and always with an eye to the future.

The Foundation has added Jada Yee of Regina as its cultural advisor, while also entering into an agreement with Elevate Auctions to provide a presence at future fund-raisers.

Yee will have input into one of the Foundation’s biggest projects to date, the Celebrating Indigenous Hockey Legends banquet that is to be held in Regina on Sept. 30.

“This is a huge addition for the Foundation,” said Garth Malarchuk, the organization’s chairman of the board. “Yee is more than a little familiar with the traditions, the politics and all the rest of the Indigenous world, and he absolutely knows everyone. So he will be a huge help to us going forward.”

Yee was named CTV Regina’s Citizen of the year for 2023. Of Chinese-Canadian heritage, he is a member of the Wood Mountain Lakota Sioux Nation. A graduate of the University of Regina’s First Nations University of Canada, where he is a sessional instructor, he has a master’s degree of administration in leadership from the University of Regina.

Yee is the first citizen to be elected to the post of Chair of the Regina Police Commission. He also has served on such boards as the Regina Food Bank and the Regina Aboriginal Professionals Association. And he is a partner in OneHoop, an Indigenous consulting firm.

Meanwhile, the WCPHSF has forged a partnership with Elevate Auctions in a move that can only enhance the experience for those attending the second annual Wall of Honour induction dinner in Okotoks on July 29 or the Celebrating Indigenous Hockey Legends banquet in Regina.

Elevate Auctions isn’t your typical auction house; rather, it deals only with non-profit and charitable organizations who are fund-raising via auctions. It has worked with such organizations as the Hospitals of Regina Foundation, the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen, the Keyano College Foundation, the Calgary Flames alumni, the Flames Foundation and the Calgary Stampeders alumni.

Bill Brown, Elevate Auctions’ co-founder, said his firm will have an auctioneer and at least one spotter on hand at the dinners in Okotoks and Regina as the Foundation has plans to entertain bids on sports-related travel packages.

The agreement with Elevate Auctions also will allow the WCPHSF to provide a link on its website from which the public will be able to view and bid on silent auction items that will be made available.

“We feel confident that bringing in Bill Brown and Elevate Auctions will help us raise even more money for the WCPHSF and the many charities we support,” said Mark Stiles, the Foundation’s director of donor and stakeholder relations. “Bill is an expert in the field and works with some of the largest foundations and not-for-profit groups in Southern Alberta and beyond.”

Tickets for the Okotoks and Regina banquets are available at tickets.hockeyscoutsfoundation.com.

WCPHS Foundation joins forces with two partners

The non-profit Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation has entered into two partnerships, both of which will be key to the organization’s future.

HNLIVE now Foundation’s broadcast partner

HNLIVE has signed on as the Foundations official broadcast partner.

The WCPHSF has two banquets scheduled for this summer — its second annual Wall of Honour induction dinner and a banquet Celebrating Indigenous Hockey Legends — and HNLIVE will be live-streaming both events.

HNLIVE, a broadcast, streaming and production company, is Canada’s fastest growing sports streaming platform with partnerships with Hockey Canada and numerous major showcases across Canada. It has a history in HD live-streaming, from top prospect games to regular-season games, championship events, all-star games and beyond. It bills itself as “a one-stop-shop resource.”

“We’re thrilled to become the official broadcast partner of the WCPHSF,” HNLIVE owner Corrie Brough said. “All their events/banquets will now be available on HNLIVE if you are unable to attend. The WCPHSF does tremendous work by giving back to communities across Western Canada and we’re very happy to be involved.”

The Foundation isn’t yet two years old, and the Wall of Honour is its pride and joy. But there’s a lot more to it than that, as it is committed to giving back to Western Canadian communities and charities, and to those in the scouting community who need support. It already has helped out in those areas with organizations as varied as Bear Clan Bow River, the BC and Yukon branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. It also has provided financial aid to scouts with medical issues.

The Wall of Honour induction dinner is scheduled for the Viking Rentals Centre in Okotoks on July 29. On that evening, 29 past and present-day scouts will be honoured. The evening — A Night With the Sutters — also will feature two hot stove sessions involving members of the hockey-playing family from Viking.

“This is exciting news for our foundation in that it allows the general public to observe and partake in our second Wall of Honour induction dinner,” said Garth Malarchuk, the WCPHS Foundation’s chairman of the board.“Viewers not only will be treated to some great stories from hockey’s first family, but also will have the option of bidding on some outstanding silent- and live-auction items and packages.”

The dinner Celebrating Indigenous Hockey Legends is to be held in Regina’s Conexus Art Centre in Wascana Park on Sept. 30. Some of the proceeds from the Regina dinner will go to local charities that deal with Indigenous children — the Ranch Ehrlo Society’s Outdoor Hockey League, Sask Sport, for KidSport Saskatchewan, and the Circle Project.

“This is exciting for us,” said Mark Stiles, the Foundation’s director of donor and stakeholder relations, “as HNLIVE will be streaming both banquets amongst many other things, like creating short videos for our website.”

Tickets for both dinners are available at tickets.hockeyscoutsfoundation.com.

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WCPHSF joins up with Harvard Media in Regina

The Foundation also has entered into a promotional agreement with Harvard Media involving the Celebrating Indigenous Hockey Legends banquet that is to be held in Regina.

Earlier, the non-profit foundation partnered with the Regina Hotel Association on the banquet that is scheduled for the Conexus Arts Centre on Sept. 30, which is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Under terms of the agreement, which runs from June 9 through Sept. 30, Harvard Media will be recognized as an event sponsor and will provide on-air and on-line support from its Regina-based radio stations 620 CKRM, play92, and 104.9 The WOLF. The package also includes on-air support from The SportsCage, CKRM’s popular sports talk show.

“The SportsCage has made a commitment to local sports more than ever over the past year,” SportsCage host Barney Shynkaruk said, “and this event will bring Saskatchewan hockey together once again and, more importantly, shine a spotlight on the proud Indigenous hockey culture.

“The WCPHSF group has been doing some great work for community groups across Western Canada and we’re excited to have an opportunity to showcase that.”

The dinner is to be emceed by Dennis Beyak, an associate director with the Foundation. The retired TSN hockey play-by-play voice handles the emcee duties at all Foundation events. Beyak will guide everyone through an evening that will feature two hot stove sessions including some of the Indigenous legends like Kalley Armstrong, Ron Delorme, the King brothers, D.J. and Dwight, Jon (Nasty) Mirasty, Rich Pilon, Jordin Tootoo and Hall-of-Famer Bryan Trottier.

Some of the proceeds will go to Regina-area organizations that deal with Indigenous youths — the Ranch Ehrlo Society’s Outdoor Hockey League; Sask Sport, for KidSport Saskatchewan; and the Circle Project.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Harvard Media on board with us,” said Foundation vice-president Ross Mahoney, a Regina resident who is the NHL-Washington Capitals’ assistant general manager. “The folks there have a wide following in Regina and in Saskatchewan so this agreement is a real positive for us.”

Tickets for the dinner are available at tickets.hockeyscoutsfoundation.com.