Keanu Reeves signs 1-day contract with OHL team to help raise money for mental health

Movie star Keanu Reeves signed a one-day contract with the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires on Thursday. 

It was to support the Canadian Mental Health Association's Windsor-Essex branch, which will auction off signed items from the actor and all proceeds going to the organization.

Reeves was in the Ontario border city to play bass for his longtime American alternative rock band Dogstar at Windsor's casino Thursday. 

Reeves grew up in Toronto and was born in Beirut. According to NHL.com, the Matrix star was a goaltender and came close to trying out for the Spitfires when he was a teenager, but couldn't because of injury.

After that, he went into acting full time.

The story is legendary here in Windsor, says Bill Bowler, general manager of the Windsor Spitfires, so when they learned Reeves was coming to town, an employee of the organization reached out to see what could happen.

"We thought it would be cute. We thought by getting him to sign a jersey, we're going to auction it off for the CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association), and hopefully raise some money for a great cause," Bowler said. "And again, we can't thank Mr. Reeves enough."

Nicole Sbrocca, CEO of CMHA Windsor-Essex, is also grateful to Reeves, and the Spitfires.

"There are so many opportunities for us to leverage the dollars that are raised by way of this jersey," she said.

Bidding is open on the Spitfires website. As of Friday afternoon, the top bid was $10,000. 

The auction ends on Aug. 30.