Winnipeg Jets Play-by-Play announcer Dennis Beyak entertained all 277 in attendance at the Steinbach Pistons 7th annual Fire & Ice Banquet Monday evening.
The event was a big success. It saw its highest attendance since it started back when the team arrived in 2009. The evening highlighted the Pistons successes this season on the ice and in the community.
The Pistons reiterated on many occasions that they wouldn’t be able to do what they do in the community and on the ice if it weren’t for the support of the region. And the community once again showed their overwhelming support by graciously opening their pockets for the event’s rainbow auction, silent auction and live auction hosted by Kornelson Auction.
The highest sold item was purchased for $3,800, and that was a fishing trip to Milton Lake Fishing Lodge in Northern Saskatchewan. Other prizes that were auctioned off included Goldeyes Season Tickets, a Brereton Lake Lodge Getaway, tickets to a Jets Suite along with dinner, a custom made Pistons rug from Steinbach Flooring Canada and much more.
And no banquet is a success without great food and there was plenty to go around. The Friedensfeld Hall did a fantastic job with soup, salad, sides and dessert. Hylife, who sponsored the meat, took the meal to another level by serving all 33 tables a platter piled high with pork.
It is fair to say that it was a struggle for any of the tables to successfully complete the feast of meat, consisting of beer-braised pulled pork, pork loin, and shorts ribs topped with apple chutney.
Another couple highlights from the night were when the rookies sang These Eyes by the Guess Who and then happy birthday to the Pistons President Grant Lazaruk. Daniel Taillefer also received a standing ovation from everyone in attendance for all of his accomplishments with the team over the past 5 seasons.
And then Beyak stole the show with a quick rundown of his career and then unexpectedly it turned into a stand-up comedy as Beyak took shots at the Pistons coaching staff, local media personal and even the mayor of Steinbach Chris Goertzen.
The Pistons want to thank everyone who attended and supported the team.