Jarret Moon arrived Thursday night from Alberta to play in the Guns and Hoses Charity Hockey Game taking place Friday, March 21 between the RCMP and the Williams Lake Fire Department.
The winner of the game will be presented with the first-ever Dale Moon Memorial Cup, honouring Jarret’s father who was the city’s fire chief from 1988 to 2008 and a member of the department for 40 years. Before working his way up in the ranks of the fire department, Dale was a mechanic at DJ Toyota. He died after battling cancer soon after he retired in 2008.
A statement sent to the Tribune noted Dale collaborated with RCMP leadership, professionalized the training at the WLFD and was committed to bringing out the best in all of his firefighters. He was also a big supporter of minor hockey and an avid fan of the Mustangs, Timberwolves and Stampeders hockey clubs.
“It’s great they are doing this,” Jarret told the Tribune Friday morning, adding he played in the first-ever tournament dedicated to his dad. "Keep it going."
He will be playing defence and said he grew up playing minor hockey.
When asked what he remembers fondly about growing up with a fire chief dad, Jarret said the camaraderie with the fire department.
“There were a lot of good people on the fire department.”
Today Jarret lives and works in Dogpound, Alta., about 48 km north of Calgary, where he works as a driller of water wells.
Following in his dad’s footstep, he was a member of the Cremona Volunteer Fire Department for 12 years.
His mom Donna Moon, lives in Vermillion, Alta. where she was born and his sister Lindsay lives in Calgary.
“I usually come back every couple of years to go fishing,” he said of how often he returns to Williams Lake.
WLFD member Aaron Hutchinson his hosting Jarret at his home for the weekend and said the department’s team has a full roster for the game.
“We have six regular members, one alumni Calvin Dubray, and eight woodland firefighters. Then there are a couple of players associated with active members. Assistant chief Trevor Schick’s daughter is playing with us and one of our fire captains, Kevin Hepner, his brother is making the trip from the Okanagan to play with us and he is a wildland firefighter and volunteer structure firefighter as well.”
Aside from Dale, the fire department will also pay tribute to other long-serving honourary members Butch Rife, Gordie Anderson, former Fire Chief Randy Isfeld and Gordie’s son, Darren, who started with the WLFD and moved on to Strathcona Fire and rose up the ranks as a lieutenant.
“Darren battled PTSD and unfortunately he lost his battle with it and he passed away," Hutchinson said.
The history of the department is interesting and goes back as far as 1929, he added.
“Butch and Gordie were second generation firefighters. Can you imagine how much history there is with our department?"
Hutchinson had the Dale Moon trophy made locally and whoever wins the match will be presented it after the game.
“It’s the first one to be awarded either the RCMP or the fire department. I thought that was pretty special.”
Puck drops 7 p.m. at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Centre. Tickets are $10 each, $5 for children 12 and under or $20 for a family, available at Foundry Cariboo Chilcotin, 51 4th Ave. South, Williams Lake RCMP Detachment, 575 Borland St., BGC Williams Lake Club, 51 S 4th Ave., Cycle Logic, 271 Oliver St. and at the door.
All proceeds will go to Kidsport to help local children play sports in Williams Lake.
