NHL big hitters trading sticks for bats this Friday at the Homebase Charity Slo-Pitch Tournament in Kelowna

A news conference was held in Kelowna on Tuesday to introduce the inaugural Gorges-Comeau Homebase Charity Slo-Pitch Tournament.

The tournament will be held at Kings Stadium this Friday.

Seventeen NHL players will be competing for bragging rights, all to raise funds for JoeAnna’s House, which will provide families a place to stay while their loved one is receiving medical care at Kelowna General Hospital.

Team captains Josh Gorges and Blake Comeau were each able to pick their own team members. They include Carey Price, Ryan Johansen, Brendan Gallagher, Shea Weber and Jordin Tootoo to name a few.

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When asked about his team selection process, Comeau said he was very particular about his choices.

“I went with the guys that have a lot of heart, that show a lot of hustle,” he said.

Many of the players have homes in the Okanagan, including Josh Gorges, who was born and raised in Kelowna.

“Me and Blake have been talking for years about trying to find something that we can call our own and a way we can give back to the community of Kelowna,” Gorges said.  “We bumped into some people at the hospital with the KGH Foundation and they presented us with this opportunity and we just felt like it was right.”

Gorges added the NHL players who strike out on Friday will have to cough up a $200 donation per strike to the cause.

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The celebrity tournament takes place at 6:30 pm.  There will be autograph signing from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm and an after-party with live music from 9:30 pm to 11 pm.

The slo-pitch tournament continues into Saturday, where 16 local teams have registered to compete.

Tickets for the celebrity tournament are limited and range from $5 for children to $25 for a family of four.

For more information on the Homebase Charity Slo-Pitch tournament, visit the KGH Foundation website.