On the eve of heading into the OHL playoffs, the Peterborough Petes have announced that the 17th annual Pink in the Rink campaign has raised $43,486 in support of Survivors Abreast, a local group of breast cancer survivors at various stages of treatment and recovery.
The organization is best known for hosting Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival, which has raised more than $4.9 million toward cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
“We are beyond grateful that the Petes chose to support our organization this year,” said Survivors Abreast president Janice James in a media release. “These funds will go a long way in supporting our mission. Recovery after a cancer diagnosis doesn’t just end with surgeries and treatments. Survivorship is a journey of its own and Survivors Abreast plays a huge role in this.”
Presented by Paris Marine, this year’s Pink in the Rink featured a month-long fundraising campaign that included customized Pink in the Rink merchandise and jersey replica sales, ticket sales through Survivors Abreast, as well as selling names for a special Pink in the Rink rinkboard.
At the annual Pink in the Rink game on February 7 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, which saw the Petes defeat the Sudbury Wolves 4-1 before a sold-out crowd, multiple other fundraising activities took place, including a silent auction, an on-ice game worn jersey auction, a pass the bucket, and Pizza Hut Chuck-A-Pep, all adding to the overall total.
The OHL’s largest ongoing fundraiser for cancer research and support, Pink in the Rink has raised almost $1.1 million over the past 17 years.
“We are incredibly grateful to our fans, partners, community members, staff, volunteers, and Survivors Abreast whose generosity and support made the 17th Annual Pink in the Rink campaign a success,” said Petes general manager and vice president of operations Michael Oke.
“Initiatives like Pink in the Rink continue to demonstrate the power of our community coming together to support an important cause.”
The Petes will face off against the North Bay Battalion in the first game of round one of the OHL playoffs at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday (March 26) at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.
