Rupert Rampage is just in the pink with their January home games supporting cancer awareness with the next game puck drop at 7 p.m. on Jan. 14, at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.
All three home games in the month have fundraising elements where proceeds will be donated to cancer awareness and medical equipment for cancer at the hospital.
The team is encouraging its home town to come out wearing pink and sample hotdogs by donation, hamburgers from Mcdonald’s, Cancer Society bake sale goodies, and to purchase an “I fight for …” pink wall card showing how the city champions the worthy cause.
“The community gets behind these events and shows what Rupert is all about,” Brett Stava, president of the Rampage organization, told The Northern View.
He praises the efforts of team volunteers Angie Lalonde and Terena Stegavig for organizing the event, which he estimates has already raised just less than $20,000. Pink shirts and hoodies are available for sale at the games to assist with awareness.
The first game of the cancer awareness promotion, on Jan. 7 against the Terrace River Kings ended in a nail-biting 7-6 double overtime win for the home team bringing in more than $4,000 in donations. Some major backing from local corporate organizations like the PRPA, Trigon and Harbour Machine helped to boost the numbers, Stava said.
The whole evening of fundraising and competing against the Terrace rivals, with both teams giving it their all during the game showed the great character of the Rupert team being seen by the full house of fans and supporters.
“It was the first time we’ve seen them this year. We’re both fighting for the top spot in the division. So, it was a rivalry game … it was an emotional game,” Stava said
Two more home games on Jan. 14 and 28 will see the team suit up in their pink uniforms, just one of four different jersey colours the players wear at different times throughout the season.
Stava said the team players enjoy supporting local causes and are great with kids, even delivering home game tickets to local schools so students can attend.
Stava and the team are encouraging the community to come out to the games and offer support. The team will be signing autographs and handing out pictures after the Jan. 14 game against the Kitimat Ice Demons.
“The team loves crowds and when they get fired up. The added aspect of the fundraising gets everyone amped up. for sure, definitely, everybody’s talking about it,” he said.
K-J Millar | Editor and Multimedia Journalist
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