A nod to past for Pink in the Rink
Pink Petes jersey and pashmina unveiled for annual women’s cancer benefit game Feb. 3
The Peterborough Petes will don their newly designed pink jerseys for Pink in Rink next month.
The annual Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) fundraiser takes place at the Memorial Centre on Feb. 3, when the Petes take on the Oshawa Generals.
The campaign kicks off Wednesday with a Petes celebrity server night at two city restaurants. Players will be serving, signing autographs and selling Pink in the Rink T-shirts at Montana’s and Kelsey’s from 5 to 8 p.m.
The T-shirts are black with the 2018 Pink in the Rink logo and are $10. They’ll also be for sale at the Memorial Centre on game night, along with pink pashminas.
This year’s signature pink jersey, worn by the Petes during their game, was designed with the team’s past in mind.
“It’s a subtle nod to the Petes’ history,” said Greg Sinclair, Petes sales and marketing manager.
The former Montreal Canadiens farm team adopted the Canadiens jersey style for the pink sweater. A classic maroon band wraps around the jersey and sleeves.
The jersey also bears the names of 300 area residents who’re battling cancer or lost their fight to the disease. That’s the most names ever added to the jerseys in Pink in the Rink’s nine years.
Names were added for a $20 donation to the Pink in the Rink campaign.
“To me, that shows just how great the Peterborough community is – to come out and support cancer research and to really push the initiative,” Sinclair said.
Alison Payne, senior manager of CCS Durham, Peterborough and District, agreed, saying the support speaks to the community’s dedication to the event, while also honouring a loved one.
“It’s a great opportunity for communities to get involved and make the game even more personal to them,” said Payne.
The jerseys will be auctioned of at the end of the game during a live auction at the rink.
A silent auction will also be happening in the lobby, offering items such as local gift cards and a New York Islanders jersey.
Before the first period starts, CCS will play a video of a photomontage created with pictures of those whose names are on the jerseys.
During first period intermission, CCS will pass buckets throughout the stands to collect donations and there’ll be a chuck-a-ball contest, too.
Proceeds from the Pink in the Rink support women’s cancer research, including ovarian, cervical, uterine and breast.
More than one in nine Canadian women will be diagnosed with one of those cancers in their lifetime.
Over the last eight years, the local CCS has raised more than $529,000 through Pink in the Rink. This year, CCS has set a goal of raising $60,000.
Although the funds are directed towards women’s cancer research, Payne said other cancer projects benefit as well by passing the knowledge along to other researches.
“The more money we put towards research the more lives are saved,” she said.
Tickets to the game are $20, with $7 going towards the Pink in the Rink fundraiser.
NOTE: Tickets are available at the Memorial Centre box office, online at gopetesgo.com or at the local Canadian Cancer Society office on The Kingsway.