Neither the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP nor Vernon Fire Rescue Services had any idea their first charity hockey game would be such a success. 

Hundreds of people came out to Kal Tire Place Saturday, March 29, for the inaugural Guns vs Hoses hockey game, which pitted police officers against firefighters on the ice in support of a pair of charitable causes. 

Both teams picked a charity and all funds raised at the game were split between the two causes. The RCMP chose to support Cops for Kids, while the firefighters funnelled donations to the Vernon Professional Firefighters Charitable Society. 

Firefighter John Doorman joked before puck-drop that the firefighters had the edge in the game because they were better rested. 

"The cops, they have to work tough night shifts," he said with a laugh. "But we're going to see. I hope it's a competitive game and I hope we have a lot of fun out there."

In the end, Doorman's theory proved right as the firefighters earned a 6-3 victory over their RCMP counterparts. 

But unlike most games played at Kal Tire Place, the losing team was just as thrilled with the result as the winning team. That's because when the entry and barbecue donations were tallied up, more than $9,000 had been raised for the Charitable Society and Cops for Kids. 

"When we first started to plan this with the RCMP back in 2024, neither side could predict what we would get out for a crowd or what we could raise for proceeds," said Dave Robinson, president of the Vernon Professional Firefighters Charitable Society, which helps fund a wide array of local causes including muscular dystrophy, the Burn Fund, Hospice House and Vernon Jubilee Hospital. 

"We couldn't be happier with how the event turned out. I think it definitely exceeded my expectations. We want to thank everyone for coming out to support it and to all the generous sponsors who made it possible," Robinson said.

The game started out with a ceremonial puck drop, and two special individuals did the honours. One was Presley Celesta, a burn survivor who has used her experiences to do burn awareness sessions at schools. The other was six-year-old Bryce Lambert of Vernon, who has bravely battled cancer since January 2023. 

Bryce's parents, Bryan and Kate Lambert, had nothing but good things to say about the Cops for Kids Foundation, which supported the family through more than 300 nights at Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver when Bryce was undergoing cancer treatment, providing the family with more than $7,000 in a single year. 

Bryce is on the road to recovery. His last home chemo treatment is scheduled for May 12, and his port will be removed in the following weeks. 

Bryan said his son, already a big hockey fan, was "gleaming ear to ear and running around the house nonstop" when he found out he'd be dropping the puck at the charity game. 

"This is my dream for him to do this," Kate added. 

Vernon RCMP spokesperson Tania Finn is heavily involved in Cops for Kids, which has been raising money throughout southeast B.C. for children in need since 2001 and has raised more than $6 million to date. 

"It's just a way for our police officers to be able to give back, and this (the game) is just an extension of it," Finn said. 

Both the police officers and the firefighters are keen to make Guns vs Hoses an annual event. 

"This is an event that we hope can be a staple in Vernon for years to come," Robinson said.

"The hockey part of it is secondary but it was a close, competitive game. We got the best of them this year, but we know they will be gunning for that trophy in 2026. Thank you again to those that came to watch and support, we can't wait to see you next year!"