A little softball and a lot of support for the North Peace SPCA

There was a pretty good crowd gathered around the Surerus Ball Diamonds Sunday afternoon, as Murray GM and Fort Motors settled a little friendly rivalry with a softball game that raised more than $3,700 for the North Peace SPCA.

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Fort Motors walked away with the win, defeating Murray GM 26–15 and earning what the event had advertised as “ultimate bragging rights,” although the final score ended up being only a small part of what happened around the diamond.

Along with the money raised during the afternoon, two truckloads of pet food, toys and other essential supplies were collected, giving the North Peace SPCA a little more help looking after animals from around our communities.

The event included a silent auction that raised $925, as well as a 50/50 draw that put more than $500 directly back toward the SPCA, with the other half going home with one lucky winner.

Pat’s Auto Supply, Heather Walker Photography, NAPA, Walt’s Automotive Repair, MegMar Maintenance, Dunne-Za Lodge and Lucas’s Pitstop – Catering, Confectionery & Cookery Inc. were among the local businesses that donated items and helped fill the silent auction.

Murray GM gave a special thank-you to Lucas’s Pitstop following the game, writing that the business “went the extra mile” with a collection of donations that brought a little extra sweetness to the auction table.

People picked their side, cheered for friends and family, stopped by the auction table and brought supplies for the SPCA, while the players gave everybody something to watch during a sunny Sunday afternoon in Fort St. John.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better response from the community,” the event organizers said afterward in a statement shared by Murray GM. “The support, donations and enthusiasm throughout the day were incredible.”

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who came out, donated, bid, cheered and helped make this possible for the North Peace SPCA,” the organizers added after the money and donations had been counted.

The Alaska Highway News was also at the diamond for part of the afternoon, and it was nice seeing a good idea bring two familiar local businesses together without needing to turn the whole thing into something overly complicated.

It was softball, a little friendly trash talk, some local businesses donating what they could and people from around Fort St. John showing up to support an organization that does important work for animals throughout the North Peace.

Fort Motors will have the score to bring up whenever somebody at Murray GM gets a little too confident, and considering the 11-run difference, those bragging rights will probably be good for at least a while.

But the part worth remembering is the more than $3,700 raised, the two truckloads of supplies collected and another North Peace fundraiser that became bigger because local people decided it was worth getting behind.

That is the kind of afternoon we like covering.