It’s been nine weeks since Brittany Howelko fell while snowboarding at Marmot Basin, leaving her in a coma for several weeks. It’s been five weeks since she was transferred from Edmonton to a hospital in Winnipeg, to be closer to her family.

And it’s been nearly five weeks since the Whistle Stop pub held a fundraiser in her honour, raising more than $10,000. It was that night, Dec. 17, that Howelko opened her eyes for the first time.

Since then, she’s been opening them often. She’s also managed to lift her head and turn it from side to side, and she’s lifted her arms. But the 23-year-old still hasn’t spoken.

“Her resilience is absolutely amazing,” said Vanessa Hugie, general manager of Whistler’s Inn, who is spearheading another fundraising event for Howelko.

It’s called Hockey for Hope. There will be one or two hockey rinks set up in the Jasper Artists Guild parking lot for a shinny hockey tournament Jan. 21.

“We’re hoping to have as many teams as possible,” said Hugie. “It would be fabulous to have 20 teams, or 25.”

All of the money raised through registration for the tournament will be go toward the trust fund that was set up for Howelko after the last fundraising event, Helmets for Hope.

The tournament will run during the Family Street Festival that will be taking place on Patricia Street, beginning around 6 p.m. 

On sale at the event will also be stickers designed by Black Diamond. On them, they say “For Britt.” Hugie suggests people buy them to put on their helmets or boards.

People who bought helmets during the last event will get a free one, said Hugie.

Howelko’s fall happened on Nov. 14. She was coming down a run alone when she fell and hit her head. She wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time. 

Shaking herself off, she got up and boarded the rest of the way down the mountain. 

She then ran into a co-worker, whom she joked with saying she might be a little dopey at work that evening after the fall she had just sustained.

Howelko then went back up the lift and was later found unconscious and vomiting on the mountain. She was airlifted to Edmonton shortly after being found.

The doctors said the impact to her head caused a blood vessel to burst. The blood then filled her brain cavity, causing Howelko to lose consciousness.

Hugie said since the accident, she’s noticed a much greater awareness about the need for helmets while on the mountain. People are talking about it and many people who were on the fence about helmets have since bought one, she said.