By @MichaelCaples –
The Oakland Junior Grizzlies 16U girls team has turned its game against the Lady Sabrehawks (Cincinnati) into a unique fundraising initiative.
From noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19, the OJG squad will be raising money for the Michigan Warriors hockey team, as well as for the Yellow Jackets, a 18U youth sled hockey team, during their game at Fraser Hockeyland.
MORE: Purple Heart Required: Michigan Warriors Hockey Program offers ice time for disabled veterans
The team will be selling tickets, having a raffle, conducting a 50/50, and operating a Chuck-A-Puck event. Admission will be $5, and fans are being asked to bring a stuffed animal for a Teddy Bear Toss, as well. The stuffed animals will be donated to a local children’s hospital.
Here is the flyer:
And more info on the Michigan Warriors:
The Michigan Warriors Hockey Program (MWHP) was created in June 2014. Different people in the business, hockey, and Veterans communities came together to identify interested Disabled Veterans or those with Purple Hearts who would be interested in becoming a part of the inaugural MWHP 2014 Summer Clinic. Michigan Amateur Hockey Association provided a grant from USAHockey to start off with a six-week, “Try Hockey for Free”. MAHA was able to secure ice time, equipment, and jerseys for the Disabled Veterans. From that six-week beginning, the Warriors became a full-fledged team, wtih weekly skates –practices as well as games against local men’s and women’s teams interested in playing a fun, competitive game with the Warriors.
Since the program’s inception, the MWHP has provided over 650 man-hours of ice time to over 30 Warriors throughout the Metro-Detroit Area at no cost to the Disabled Veterans. All ice time is paid for through corporate sponsorships and private donations. Through MAHA and private donations, most Warriors have been outfitted with new, up-to-date skates and other safety equipment. The MWHP hosts a staff of volunteer coaches with an experienced and extensive background in hockey. Within the next five years, the MWHP plans on expanding and creating hockey teams in all ten regions of the State of Michigan designated by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency.
The MWHP also has a community outreach program headed by two original Warriors. Through community outreach, the MWHP participates in 2,000 hours of community service annually. The Warriors volunteer their time off the ice in programs such as Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society, as well as a Vets Helping Vets partnership created between the MWHP and the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund. Through Vets Helping Vets, the Warriors have provided labor and building volunteer work to other Disabled Veterans in need while the FWSF has provided the financial backing for these home improvement projects.
For additional information about the MWHP, please visit their website at www.michiganwarriorshockey.com