In September the final pitch was thrown at the Stewart Schlender Memorial Slo-Pitch Tournament at Coalhurst’s Miners Memorial Campground marking the end of 13 years of fun and fundraising.

Over its 13-year history, hundreds of people participated in “The Stew,” as it came to be called, to play softball in memory of Stewart Schlender, a young Crowsnest resident who passed away in a car accident on April 16, 2004. He was only 27-years old.

The Stew was first played in August of that year, only a few months after the tragic accident.

“Some of his friends decided to get together just to have a good time and remember him,” said Stewart’s brother Jen. “After that I took on running the ball tournament and we made it an ongoing thing.”

Collectively, the tournaments raised over $100,000 for charity through raffles, sponsorships, entry fees and liquor sales. Half of all the proceeds were donated to STARS and the other half went to Crowsnest Pass Minor Hockey.

“Stars is always something my family has believed in,” said Jen. “My dad and my brother used to always buy their raffle tickets.”

“Stuart always loved playing hockey. He played down in the Pass growing up,” she continued. “So we figured those were two charities that he would have really enjoyed.”

The Schlender family decided that this would be the final year of the tournament.

“It was getting too hard emotionally,” said Jen. “Just bringing back that memory every year.”

It is fitting that the thirteenth tournament should be the last given that 13 was Stuart’s favourite number, she said.

In a statement, Stewart’s mother Brenda thanked all participants who helped put on the ball tournament.

“As The Stew comes to an end, we cannot express how much we love each and everyone of you,” she said. “We have increased our family by at least 200 times”.