The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The Bomber Fan Club was busy this year with the Flin Flon Bombers purchasing three players and acquiring a scout for next season. Despite not making the playoffs, the Bombers did improve in a lot of areas and most importantly, kept the fan base. Every fan as well as the Bombers want a winning team, and a lot of work goes into building that team. Ryan Hoffman and the Bomber board worked hard this year to put a good product on the ice as well as improve their list of players for next year. The fan club started the year by raising $14,730. This was done by each fan finding a partner and putting in $50 each. When the player deadline approached in January, the fan club worked with Ryan Hoffman to purchase two players from Quebec - 20 year-old defenceman Julian Matte and 19 year-old goaltender Francois Laverdiere. The two were a package deal for $4,500. Matte played in 24 games and recorded five points. Goaltender Laverdiere played in 19 games and had a 0.912 save percentage. Francois showed brilliance day in and day out for the Bombers, and will be coming back with the team next year, according to coach Ryan Hoffman. Our last player acquisition was forward Jimo King, who we purchased from Lloydminster for $1,000. Jimo ended with five points in 22 games and is looking forward to contributing next year. The last purchase for the season was a joint venture with the Bombers and the Fan Club. Each contributed $1,000 to purchase Louis Gravel, a scout from Quebec. Louis has a very good track record, sending us the two Quebec players, Julian and Francois. He also sent players from Quebec to Grand Prairie for the Royal Bank Cup this year, as well as players to Humboldt the previous year when they won the Royal Bank Cup. The Bomber Fan Club has approximately $8,215 in the bank and will be starting to fundraise again this year for a few reasons. One of them being the Weyburn Red Wings will be hosting the Royal Bank Cup for the 2005 season. Knowing that, the fan club will try to raise another $12,000 to $15,000 this year. This could give us $23,000 to work with the Bombers for 2004-05. It is my opinion, that what we are doing here is good for the Bombers and the community. We want a winning team and there was a definite improvement this year. I would like to thank all of the fan club members who found a partner and donated their money. Our promise to the fans was that the money collected would be kept separate in a fan club account. We kept in contact with coach Hoffman all year and when money was needed, we contributed. So in ending this report, I would like to ask all fans who signed up last year to please contribute one more time this year, as well as anyone who didn't contribute last year because maybe you weren't sure of the outcome. The Bomber Fan Club committee consisting of Duke Rodnisky, Ken Stelnicki, Dwight Stallard, Randy Rice, John Olinick and myself will be phoning the fan club members in April for your confirmation on being a member again this season. You can make your contribution at the Gas Bar beginning May 1, with the deadline being May 31. Also this year, we will be accepting any donations from businesses, too! Please get involved and make a difference for your Flin Flon Junior Bombers.
