An amateur sporting group that serves the Tri-Cities and New Westminster is hosting a fundraiser to send its junior players to Jamaica next year.
Parents and leaders with the United Rugby Club plan to send 36 players and six staff to the Caribbean island for a March 16 to 23, 2024, tour.
The players, who are between the ages of 14 and 18 and are on two boys teams and a girls unit, will play against Jamaican teams, as well as take in the culture.
Dave Silveira told the Tri-City News today, Nov. 15, that tour sponsorships for businesses and organizations are available for jersey logos and other tour kit.
And, to raise money, it will have a burger and drink night at the Cat and Fiddle Pub in Port Coquitlam (1979 Brown St.) on Friday, Nov. 17, for the community to help generate $10,000.
The cost is $25 to attend, and there will be a 50–50 draw and silent auction.
It will be the first time that United Rugby Club has sent players to Jamaica; they will be accompanied by coaches Kevin Startin and Diego Lugo.
"The original plan was to do a tour in Hawaii in the spring of 2022, but because we were coming out of the pandemic restrictions, there wasn’t enough players signed up by the deadline to proceed with the trip," Silveira said.
"Once the trip was re-scheduled, the Hawaiian teams weren’t available to schedule games for all of the teams. Jamaica has competitive rugby teams and Kevin [the coach] had previously been on a Caribbean tour and really loved the experience."
Silveira added the tour will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of the players.
For tickets to the pub night fundraiser on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m., visit the club website. There is no reserved seating and gratuity is not included in the price.
