An annual charity hockey tournament is back this weekend to support local kids with Cystic Fibrosis and Cerebral Palsy. This is the 7th year for the Huntsville Bushwackers Summer Hockey Tournament, and six kids are being supported through the money raised.
Organizer Remo Campitelli, also known as the King Bushwacker, says the tournament will help to pay for a Hill-Rom breathing machine for an eight-year-old boy named Jake who has CF. The genetic disease affects the lungs and digestive system, and symptoms include difficulty breathing, frequent chest infections like pneumonia, and bowel issues.
Campitelli says donating breathing machines means giving kids a quality shot at life, and helps them pursue their dreams. He says Jake is the newest member of the Bushwhacker family and calls him a fighter.
Campitelli says of the six kids he is supporting, four have Cystic Fibrosis, two have Cerebral Palsy, and all are thriving. He says he looks for kids that have special needs and then gets in touch with the family to see if they want his help. He says he tries to find kids close to home, and anyone that might need this type of help can get in touch with him.
Over the years, Campitelli has donated four breathing machines, an electric wheel chair, backyard fencing so the kids can play, and paid for hockey and lacrosse.
Campitelli says the money is raised through the bi-annual hockey tournament. In the last seven years, he says he has raised between $75,000 and $80,000.
 The tournament is running on Saturday from 8:00am to 2:00pm at the Summit Centre. Campitelli says everyone is welcome to come out, watch the action and support the cause.
Any family that may need similar support can contact Campitelli at 705 571 1935.