In the mood for some friendly neighborhood competition? Come out to the Jordan Valley Ice Park on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 4:45 p.m. to see Springfield’s very own Police and Fire Departments battle it out in the rink for a good cause.

Joel Grieshaber, firefighter for the City of Springfield Fire Department (SFD) and member of the SFD Hockey Club, is just one of the excited players looking forward to the charity match that will take place between the DIII and DI Missouri State Ice Bears’ games.

“All across the country, FD vs PD ice hockey games draw big crowds and raise a lot of money for charity and our hope is that this game will start us down that path as well. Even in our first year, we have had close to 350 ticket sales already, and we are still a few weeks out from the game. We all, as in public servants, seem to be nothing if not competitive, so the idea of competing department versus department just seemed to come about pretty organically. For whatever reason, people love seeing our departments compete against each other,” stated Grieshaber.

Not only will this hockey game be enjoyable to watch, but all of the proceeds will be given to a well-known local charity.

Grieshaber said, “We are raising money for the Greene County 100 Club. The Greene County 100 Club is a not-for-profit organization that provides financial support to the surviving spouse and dependent children of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty in Greene County. The MSU Ice Bears are donating also by auctioning off game-worn jerseys for the charity. In addition to that there will be several raffles that everyone will want to participate in.”

Countless hours of planning and hard work went into creating this charity game. It is events like these that showcase Springfield’s valuable sense of community.

“There is a lot of people that have wanted to see this game come together, and fortunately we have had a lot of help and coordination getting it there. The Parks Department has stepped up in a big way, and MSU even went as far as moving the start time for one of their games to make sure we got enough ice time to make this a successful event. It’s always great to see so many people and departments come together for a great cause,” said Greishaber.

This charity game is expecting a tremendous turnout. Anyone and everyone who is able to attend is encouraged to support the Fire and Police Departments of Springfield, as well while watching an exciting game of hockey.

“The more the merrier. If you have never been to a hockey game before, this is great time to come catch a game for cheap and help a good cause. All the tickets are general admission so you will want to get there early to get a good seat. Tickets are $5 and 100 percent of ticket sales goes to the charity. Afterwards, you should pick up a ticket for the Bears game after, as they are a ton of fun as well,” said Greishaber.

To purchase tickets, visit Jordan Valley Ice Park. For more information about the Police vs Fire Charity Hockey Game, check out the City of Springfield Fire Hockey Club’s Facebook page. To learn more about the Greene County 100 Club, call 417-874-2499 or go to www.greenecounty100club.com.

Written by Kate Bequette.