Hockey will not be the only thing on the Western Michigan University hockey team’s mind as they play Notre Dame University this weekend. It is the third annual Hockey Cares weekend at Lawson Ice Arena and the entire community is excited for the pink event to support breast cancer research and awareness.
“Hockey Cares is good because we are bringing awareness to people and hopefully getting donations and it is pretty cool that we get to wear pink jerseys; our team goes all-out [with] pink jerseys, pink tape on sticks, pink laces,” sophomore forward Greg Squires said. “Cancer means a lot to a lot of people and luckily I haven’t had anyone pass away from it, but breast cancer is one of the leading causes in women’s deaths and it’s a big deal. I think males need to be aware of what’s going on and care more and I think that is the perfect thing that we can do as a hockey team.”
The Brown and Gold are looking to continue to educate students and the community of Kalamazoo through their fundraising efforts. Head coach Jim Culhane had the idea for Hockey Cares two years ago in Toronto.
“Two years ago, I was visiting my brother in Toronto and we went to a Minor League Hockey game for the Toronto Marlies. When I walked into the rink for the Sunday afternoon game, I knew right away what they were doing,” Bronco head coach Jim Culhane said. “The Marlies had pink tape on their sticks and pink laces and were raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society. They had different promotions throughout the game and I sat there thinking, ‘you know what [that’s] an awesome idea,’ so I came back that spring and I chewed on it, made some calls to the young lady who was in charge of it and she gave a me a lot of suggestions on what to do here. I took a lot of those and put our own personal touches on it and now here we are at its third year.”
Aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer in women, and is the second most common cause of cancer death in white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“I think it’s a good way to show that hockey isn’t just the rough and tough sport that everyone seems to think it is and that there is actually a lot more to it,” freshman defenseman Luke Witkowski said. “We’re also helping out with Special Olympic kids on Monday nights and playing basketball with them. We only need five guys but there are ten who show up or more most of the times. A lot of the guys like to do that kind of thing and help out more, which is pretty great because with all of the time we put in at the rink, weight room and school, to do that extra says a lot.”
The joint charitable organization has raised over $22,000 in the past two years for research and awareness in Southwest Michigan. With the economy, philanthropic funds have seen a dramatic drop, but Hockey Cares has donation opportunities from all spectrums on the money scale.
At all the home games leading into this weekend, donations will be accepted for pink bracelets and ribbons. Bronze, silver, and gold sponsor rankings can be made based off of the number of WMU goals scored during the entire series, ranging from $25 to $100.
Blue Line Club raffle tickets are donated to the cause, $10 luminaries are created in honor or memory of loved ones and corporate sponsorships can be placed by contacting Lynn Ross at (269) 387-3049. There is more information on Hockey Cares at the Broncos Web site.
“It is always good to be a part of something that is bigger than hockey and to be able to contribute to something that you can look back and be proud of. The first year we did this, I wasn’t too excited about the color of the jerseys, but you know, it was fun because the crowd and community love it and gets involved,” senior defenseman Tyler Ludwig said. “It brings another aspect to the game – you respect the people and are thankful for your health and the things you’re blessed with. It’s a good cause and I am happy this is the third year I have been involved.”
WMU will match-up against Notre Dame on Friday and Saturday at 7:35 p.m. in Lawson Ice Arena.
“Hopefully we can break out this weekend and score some goals and raise some donations,” Culhane said.
