Yates, who served as a sheriff’s deputy in the county for 15 years, was shot and killed July 24 while responding to an incident at the Harmony Estates Mobile Home Park located east of Springfield.
The Hockey Helping Heroes event will be held Oct. 8 at the National Trails Parks and Recreation Department Chiller Ice Rink, featuring a competition between the Dayton Fire Hockey team and the Wood County Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) 109 Warthogs team.
Warthogs team captain Don Egan said, “We are honored yet saddened at the same time to play in this game to raise money for this tremendous cause”.
Patrick Holland, team captain of Dayton Fire said the competition “is something we hate to do because it means someone lost their life in the line of duty. But we love that we are able to honor Deputy Yates, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and future law enforcement officers as they will have the ability to be awarded scholarships to attend the Clark State Community College – Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.”
Don Zender, director of the First Responder Face-Off Foundation, said that memorializing Yates, whose recent tragic death has shaken the community, is central to the mission of his organization.
“Any time we lose a first responder, there is a tremendous sense of loss within a community. When that tragedy happens in a smaller community, that impact is deeply felt,” Zender said.
Zender said the goal of this and other Hockey Helping Heroes events is to “bring a message of unity and hope through hockey to a community that is still learning to heal”.
Puck drop is slated for 4:45pm. Seating and ticketing will be general admission with a donation at the door. The game will also feature raffle prizes, a 50/50 and an in-game Shoot to Win contest. A Facebook event page has been created: https://fb.me/e/2gnP42bY2.
Individuals or organizations who wish to make a donation who are unable to attend the game are encouraged to visit www.hockeyhelpingheroes.org for additional information.
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