Pink in the Rink is back
The Yarmouth Jr. A Mariners aren’t just looking for wins during the month of October. They’re looking for support for an annual fundraiser too.
Pink in the Rink is back with the Mariners sporting custom pink jerseys and socks during home games to not just raise awareness about the importance of cancer research but also to raise funds to help with the treatment and care of cancer patients.
The jerseys are being auctioned off, with bids being accepted throughout the month of October.
All proceeds from the fundraiser will support the Dr. Edwin Janke Cancer Care Centre at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital.
To place bids on the jerseys people can text their bid and jersey number to 902-740-3791.
Running tallies of the bids are updated on the Mariners – Pink in the Rink Facebook page. As of mid-day Oct. 15, as this issue of the Tri-County Vanguard was preparing to go to press, total bids were already up to $5,266.
This has been a successful fundraiser in the past. Last year a cheque in the amount of $9,129.40 was presented to the Dr. Edwin Janke Cancer Centre. The donation was used by the cancer centre to purchase a portable ultrasound machine, which the centre did not have. The year before that $7,338 was donated to the cancer centre.
This year as part of the bidding, and with a generous contribution from Gil Dares, general manager of the Mariners Centre, bids are being accepted on a #10 jersey in honour of Sandy Dennis.
“Sandy has served on town council over the years and is a champion for cancer care,” reads a posting on the Pink in the Rink Facebook page. “This is a way to say ‘Thank You’ to her, to show her how much we care and to help raise funds for her cause. We will gladly accept all donations for the #10 jersey at the Mariners Centre and ask everyone to sign the big card, which will go to Sandy with the jersey.”
Electronic money transfers can also be made to gil.dares@mariners-centre.com.
As mentioned, the Mariners will be wearing their pink jerseys at all home games during the month of October. During their first October home game on Oct. 13, the Mariners were edged out by the South Shore Lumberjacks 5-4 – this after the Mariners fell behind to the Jacks 5-0 before scoring their first two goals in the final three minutes of the second period off the sticks of Zachery Bennett and Andrew Martell.
Yarmouth had had some good scoring chances in the first period but were thwarted by the goal post on a couple of occasions and solid goaltending by Lumberjacks goalie MacKenzie Janes who would make 36 saves off 40 shots during the game.
In the third period Derrick Johnson and Miguel Poirier were able to find the back of the Lumberjacks’ net but despite pulling their goalie for the last 2:22 of the game, Yarmouth wasn’t able to find the equalizer and had to settle for the close loss.
The Mariners still sit atop the Eastlink South Division with a record of nine wins, two losses and one shoot-out loss for 19 points. They sit one point ahead of the Amherst Ramblers in the division.
The Mariners and the Ramblers both remain in the CJHL Top 20 rankings for junior A teams across the country. As of Oct. 15, Amherst was in 13th place with the Mariners in 17th position. Earlier in the month the Mariners had been ranked as high as 4th position.
Meanwhile, at the 2018 MHL Showcase held in Pictou County Oct. 8 and 9, the Mariners had a 2-0 win over Grand Falls Rapids. The Mariners also had a 5-2 win over the Edmundston Blizzard – the team they went to Game 6 with last year in the MHL league final.
The Mariners play at home on Oct. 19 when they’ll be sporting their pink jerseys in a game against the Valley Wildcats.