There's nothing like to fundraiser to lift the spirits of a team at a crucial point in the season. The Cochrane Generals junior hockey club did just that at the Venue Bar and Grill, Feb. 2.

The Generals Pub Night was a sociable evening of stories and laughs that featured a huge silent auction, raffles and a grand finale of a players auction.

The Venue was packed for the evening and Jackie Cugnet, who lead a team of organizers, says it was a huge success and well-timed event and that follows past successful pub nights of the club.

Between the silent auction, raffles and player auction the club raised about $12,000 and over all reported raising over $16,000. That will go a long way as the club prepares to enter the Heritage Junior Hockey League playoffs.

"That was why the timing was very important because (a) we needed to fundraise for the playoffs and (b) we needed to do some team building to get the word out about the Generals to the community."

What the fundraiser demonstrated is just how much interest and support here is in the community for the club. When club volunteers came knocking, businesses responded with over $8,000 in silent auction and raffle items donations.

"It was overwhelming," she says. "Everybody stepped up big time."

The players' auction raised just over $2,000 and what started with a $70 winning bid for Gens Captain Austin Keller continued to build momentum as it went through the roster of players. Successful bidders received up three hours of volunteer service from the players they acquired. 

After being auctioned off himself by assistant coach Travis McMillan, Keller took over the auctioneer duties and waxed elegantly about his teammates. While leaving the stage at the auction's conclusion, Keller playfully pondered how he only raised $70 for his services, while Talus Hume, the Cugnet twins, Colton Wong and Jarod Domingo and others, all exceeded his total. Certainly, he shook it off as quickly as a sideboard hit.

Equally delighted by the auction was Gens super fan Deirdre Fennell, who sat front row centre and raised her hand regularly to acquire players.

"She's responsible for over half of the player auction proceeds," says Cugnet. "She did amazing. Slater Ransom was not there to be auctioned off but he volunteered to join her team. So she ended up with one of our top scorers and superstars here as a thank you. She's fantastic. She's an amazing support for this team and we're very thankful."

The Gens are also fortunate to have 23 jersey sponsors plus some major sponsors who have stepped up to support Cochrane's top hockey team.

The club also hopes to fill the stands for the upcoming playoffs. It's too early for the schedule to be announced but with their continued success the Gens should potentially go deep into the playoffs. Given the parity among the south division's top three teams, expect the action to be intense.

Cugnet is no stranger to playing background roles for her sons' teams, serving both as manager and treasurer for several hockey teams. Twins Zach and Carter are rookies on defence, coming through the ranks of Cochrane Minor Hockey. She's not on the Generals board of directors but uses her professional accounting skills to help treasurer Jim Robinson.

There was a major changeover in the management of the club this season and after a slow start of learning the ropes, it's all starting to come together.

"It was a slow start because the board's new and the coach is new. We're trying to get the word out that we're still here, we still have good hockey and we're still good entertainment. We appreciate every single person that comes to the stands."