The Prince Rupert Seamen Rugby Club will be hitting the pitch this year with a new look and a new corporate sponsor.
Pacific Northwest LNG, proponents of the LNG export terminal on Lelu Island, presented the club with a cheque for $2,500 on April 24. Team member James Witzke said the money will go a long way to helping the team and the promotion of rugby in the community.
"The Seamen have been looking for sponsorship for new equipment and to keep our programs running, both the senior team and the junior program at the high school. Pacific Northwest LNG has been keen to step up and sponsor us," he said, adding that any money left after equipment and jerseys will help offset some of the travel costs.
"For us being here, we're lucky that Terrace has a program. Beyond that we have to travel to Prince George or Edmonton."
In fact, the Seamen will have to hit the highway and travel more than 1,400 kilometres for their opening match in just over two weeks time.
"We've started training and our first tournament will be in Edmonton at RugbyFest during the May long weekend, so that will be the start of the season," said Witzke, noting that the team finished fifth out of 32 teams at the tournament last year.
"It's exciting, when we go to Edmonton we'll be doing it in new jerseys."
For its part, Pacific Northwest LNG said the contribution was just one way of giving back to the North Coast.
"We are very happy to support community initiatives and clubs. We hope to be here for a long time and be part of the community, so we see this as contributing to the community," said stakeholder relations manager Tessa Gill.