Welcoming RVH patients to Barn Burner hockey game

With just days to go until the Barn Burner hockey game, free invitations have been handed to many people facing their darkest days.

On Thursday, Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall, who serves as the lead organizer for the Boots and Hearts Barn Burner Charity Hockey Game at the Sadlon Arena, visited patients at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH).

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device 
• Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox

Nuttall stopped by the Hudson Regional Cancer Program and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NIC-U), handing out tickets to patients looking for a fun night out for themselves or their family members.

"I think that any time you're going through, you know, life-altering health issues, being able to be around people, if you're able to, is a wonderful thing," Nuttall said.

The visit is an annual trip for Nuttall, who has spearheaded the game in Barrie for many years. He also handed out tickets to hardworking staff at the region's largest hospital.

The game will feature star players, including Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares, Barrie Colts alumni, and Calgary Flames left winger Andrew Mangiapane, among many others. It raises funds for numerous local charities, including RVH.

One key priority for the hospital is expanding its NIC-U, which staff say is far too small and does not adequately provide patients with privacy.

"The open care beds…have about 25 feet of space around them," said Leah Bartlett, the paediatrics chief and medical director at RVH. "It doesn't leave enough space, obviously, for families and for all the equipment and nursing staff that need to care for these little babies."

Nuttall says this annual trip to the hospital is more rewarding for him than the patients. With just days to go until the game, he says a few surprises are in store.

"We've got lots of special celebrity guests coming as well," said Nuttall. "We've got an act, which we'll announce soon, that's coming from Boots and Hearts for the national anthem and maybe some more on top of that as well."

The Boots and Hearts Barn Burner Charity Hockey game starts on Aug. 7 at 6:30 p.m.

The community has been challenged to bring packs of lined paper to help support PIE Education provide backpacks to children in need throughout our community. You can drop them off with members of the Bounce 104.1 and Pure Country 106 tailgate team at the entrance to the Sadlon Arena.

Bounce 104.1, Pure Country 106 and CTV News Barrie are proud media sponsors of the Boots and Hearts Barn Burner and will be broadcasting live throughout the game.