By Brittany Woodcock [1]
BELLEVILLE – The Belleville Senators will join the NHL [2] and other American Hockey League [3] teams this month in wearing lavender jerseys to support the Hockey Fights Cancer [4] initiative.
The initiative was founded 21 years ago by the National Hockey League and its players’ association [5] to bring together the hockey community in supporting cancer patients and their families.
The Senators will wear the jerseys for two home games against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers [6] and the Milwaukee Admirals [7] on Nov. 15 and 16.
During those games, the Senators will hand out “I Fight For” signs for fans to customize with their reason for fighting against cancer – often a person they know who has battled the disease. The Senators will also be holding a “Moment of Fight” when fans can show their support for family members and friends who have been affected by cancer.
All proceeds from the two games will be given to the Wheels of Hope [8] program, which gives rides to cancer patients who need help getting to and from medical appointments. The Senators will also be holding fundraisers throughout November to continue to raise money for the program.
One of the fundraisers is an auction of game-worn jerseys.
The CAA Arena’s rink boards have also been changed to lavender, as have the Senator players’ profile pictures and cover photos on social media.