Who will prevail at this year’s Guns N’ Hoses event? Everyone wins with this time-honored fundraiser.

By Jeremy F. van der Heiden

On Friday, March 30, the annual Guns N’ Hoses hockey game, pitting members of the Somerville Police Department against those of the Somerville Fire Department, will take place at Veteran’s Memorial Rink. This year, the fundraising event will direct all proceeds to the Somerville Youth Hockey Association, while the theme is titled “The Youth of Somerville.”

As this year’s iteration of the event marks its 10th anniversary, the participating members of the police and fire departments plan to make it special. Lieutenant Bill Rymill, a shift commander who has been with the Somerville Police Department for 17 years, expressed his excitement to be on the ice and contribute to a good cause.

“It’s never been about the score, it’s never been about the competition, it’s just an excuse to get together, have a good time with each other and play for a good cause,” Rymill explained. When asked how successful the police squad held up in previous years, the Lieutenant chuckled, citing nine straight losses to the fire department. “We haven’t been able to douse their flame the last couple of years…but, we’re zero and nine, and we’re just as proud as if we were ten and zero – it’s never been about the score.”

The game will preclude a trip to the Dante Club, where members of both squads invite attendees to join them for refreshments, raffle prizes and more. Guns N’ Hoses is sponsored by the Somerville Police Department and Somerville Fire Department, as well as associated nonprofit organizations like the Somerville Fireman’s Relief Association, in conjunction with the Somerville Youth Hockey Association.

In prior years, the event and related donations have raised several thousand dollars that went toward the organization, which provides young athletes with the opportunity to get out on the ice and play. “We started it a while back in reality because hockey is an expensive sport,” Lt. Rymill said.  “We didn’t want to see anybody get turned away because they couldn’t afford most of the equipment or a pair of skates. Hopefully with money there, someone can say ‘we have an extra pair of skates here, you can let your kid play.”

Lt. Rymill also stated that both teams look forward to the game every year, and that he hopes the 10th year will be the police department’s magic number, though still stressing, “It’s a friendly rivalry, there’s never any stress that comes off the ice. We keep it down and clean, there’s no hitting or checking.”

No ringers are allowed in the game, as only members and associates of the two departments are allowed to participate in the game. However, Lt. Rymill explained that the fire department has historically had some very talented players, including two goalies who he believes might have been a big catalyst for the high scores in past years. Recent additions to his team, however, could prove to make the difference at the game on March 30.

Still, the long time law enforcement officer assured that his team would not be trying to hide Zdeno Chara to get even, and that this gentleman’s game is truly for the youth of Somerville, athletes and the community as a whole.