For the ninth year in a row the Victoria Royals hosts a fundraising campaign for the BC Cancer Foundation (BCCF).
Pink in the Rink is one of the team’s most popular events, says general manager Cameron Hope, and this year the Royals will face off against the Kelowna Rockets.
“The community loves this event, we sell out every year,” Hope said. “It’s a great way to engage with the community and have everyone raise awareness.”
Each year tens of thousands of dollars are raised through ticket sales, 50/50 draws, silent auctions and more.
This year the game will begin with a ceremonial puck drop with player Will Warm’s mother, Wendi Warm – who is a breast cancer survivor – dropping the puck alongside Dr. Brad Nelson of the BCCF.
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A portion of ticket sales will go to the fundraiser, but fans can also purchase placards by donation to help show their support. They can also text HOPE to 30333 to make a $5 donation to the BCCF.
The players will be wearing special Pink in the Rink jerseys which will be auctioned off through a post-game live auction, an in-game silent auction and an online auction. Auctions begin online on Friday, Feb. 21 and wrap up on March 2 at 6 p.m.
“We will wash the jerseys before we give them to the winners,” Hope said with a laugh.
During the intermission, major sponsor Peninsula Co-op, hosts a cancer shootout. A cancer survivor will shoot 10 pucks at an empty net with each puck worth a $25 donation to the BCCF, also earning themselves a $25 gas card for each goal scored.
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Several hundred tickets have been held and will go on sale in the 48 hours before the game, with all of them expected to sell.
“You can really feel the buzz in this game, and it’s not because it’s big but because it’s meaningful,” Hope said. “That’s what sticks out for me, there’s so much energy and it’s all positive.”
The game runs on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena beginning at 7 p.m.
To learn more or to purchase tickets visit victoriaroyals.com.
