The Victoria Shamrocks are hosting a special game night Friday (July 22) to honour and support Greater Victoria police officers injured in a June bank robbery in Saanich.
Stronger Together is the theme for the Western Lacrosse Association game at The Q Centre against the Coquitlam Adanacs. The contest will feature a ceremonial face off featuring VicPD Chief Const. Del Manak, Saanich police Chief Const. Dean Duthie and a colour guard. The first intermission will have a meet and greet with police service dog Maverick.
“We wanted to do something for the injured officers and their families with our heartfelt appreciation and deepest gratitude for their bravery and dedication to keeping our communities safe,” said Shamrocks general manager Chris Welch in a release. “There has been a long-standing connection between the sport of lacrosse and policing and we can see it today in the number of Shamrocks alumni and other lacrosse people serving in police forces …”
READ MORE: Condition of officers shot in Saanich bank incident continues to improve
Two auctions will be held by the Shamrocks to raise funds for injured officers’ families. An online auction runs from July 22 to 26, with high-end items and exclusive experiences on offer. Fans at Friday’s game can bid on silent auction items until the end of the second period.
“The Saanich Police Department continues to move forward along the road of recovery and healing, which is heavily fuelled by community support,” Duthie said. ”Our officers, civilian staff, and volunteers are deeply inspired by this support, and we are so grateful to the Victoria Shamrocks for taking a moment to recognize the heroism and bravery of our police, while we continue to keep those recovering in our thoughts.”
The Shamrocks invite the public to submit short video messages of thanks to maki@victoriashamrocks.com which will be compiled and aired in-game, and shared with the region’s police forces.
For more information on the special game night and the auctions, visit victoriashamrocks.com.
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