This past March 15 to 16th, Pacific Solutions Contracting was proud to be the presenting partner for the third annual Canuck Country Rocks. Canuck Country Rocks 2019 was like no other fundraising event we have ever been a part of. It was a multi-day program that encouraged community, partnership, and camaraderie through experiences that captured the hearts and passion of hockey and music fans alike.
A project started by the band members of The Odds, the Canucks house band, Canuck Country Rocks keeps getting bigger and better every single year. The purpose is simple: raise money to support great organizations like the Canucks for Kids Fund, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, Jack.org, and Basics for Babies. The execution is next level. The talented team behind the event includes Gary Durban from EXP Create, Robin Wyss and BJ Macdonald from the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Association, the band members of The Odds, and a host of other folks covering everything from ticketing, logistics, event management, and more. Their coordination and dedication resulted in a one-of-a-kind event that took place over two days, raising over $75,000 for charity and bringing together over 900 people from the community in a celebratory musical showcase.
The whole experience kicked off Friday afternoon for the first game of the Canuck Country Rocks Cup. The just-for-fun ice hockey game at Rogers Arena brought together members from Vancouver Canucks Alumni (including Chris Higgins, Kirk McLean, Cliff Ronning, and more) and mixed them up with members from the community such as event partners and musicians. Pacific Solutions Contracting had four members playing on the ice and did they ever come out to play! Two of our guys scored some goals (way to go Griff and Brandon!), and Dylan and Brad had some amazing supporting moments for both the Blue and White teams. Team Pacific came out to watch and cheered them on from the stands. It was a great afternoon for the entire crew!
That night, four members of the team also got to enjoy watching the Vancouver Canucks take on the New Jersey Devils from the Canucks Alumni Suite in Rogers Arena. Again, musicians, former hockey pros, event organizers and partners came together to cheer on the home team. It was a great opportunity to celebrate Team White’s win at the CCR Cup and set the stage for the Saturday event to come.
Saturday night – the country rock concert to rock all concerts! Housed at the beautiful Vogue Theatre in downtown Vancouver, the Canuck Country Rocks concert showcased the spectacular talent of The Odds, Brad Darrid, Jojo Mason, Aaron Pritchett, Mackenzie Porter, Dallas Smith, and Chad Brownlee in an action packed 3 hour concert. The beer was flowing and the boots were stomping, and the show included a little bit of everything. Yes, country music may have been at the heart of the show, but everything was heavily rock influenced and Jojo Mason even brought some hip-hop/R&B to the stage with an epic version of “No Diggity”. The concert came to a grand finale with the musicians and Canucks Alumni taking the stage for a group rendition of The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women”. The show definitely closed with a bang!
We couldn’t have been more honoured to have been a part of this year’s Canuck Country Rocks. It was a very special experience that we were able to share with our community and entire team in support of wonderful organizations who make a difference in our city. We are already counting down to 2020!
