A Short History
Fredericton Sports Investment started as a group of local hockey supporters who banded together to operate the Fredericton Jr. Red Wings in the New Brunswick Jr. B Hockey League in 1981. The major fundraising initiative was an auction at which the public could bid on various items donated by local merchants. After only two years the league folded, but FSI continued its annual fundraising activities, with the proceeds going to support “minor hockey and other young athletes and teams”.
The format was changed to a Dinner/Auction in 1990, and, for several years, featured a “name” guest speaker. Gross revenues steadily increased from about $10,000 in that first year, to $45,000 in 1991, $105,000 in 2001, $230,000 in 2011, and in excess of $290,000 in 2019. In 2020 and2021, because of the Covid pandemic, FSI had to shift to an on-line format, which significantly reduced total revenues to about $100,000. FSI has, from the 41 auctions, returned over $4.7 million to this community. While most of the funds are distributed to hockey players and teams, FSI has, during the last decade, also made over 500 grants in 45 sports other than hockey.
FSI administers two special endowment funds – The Timmy Munn Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Timmy Munn Needy Kids Fund. The former provides financial support for first year university students, while the latter, via the Brendon Oreto Foundation, provides funds for kids who can not afford to play their sport. Both funds are in memory of deceased hockey player Timmy Munn, and were established from the sales of a series of limited-edition hockey prints donated to FSI by Tim’s mother, celebrated artist Catherine Karnes Munn.
