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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Portland Hockey Players and Fans Raise $75,000 for Charity

February 25, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland-area hockey players and fans helped raise more than $75,000 last weekend to help families who stay at local Ronald McDonald Houses while their child receives treatment at a local hospital. That's the amount of money contributed in connection with the first-ever Hockey Challenge Day to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and Southwest Washington.

A joint fundraising event of RMHC and the Portland Winterhawks Hockey Team, Hockey Challenge Day took place before, during, and after the Winterhawks game in the Moda Center last Sunday, February 17th. Starting at 8:30AM local recreational hockey teams played fundraising games throughout the day on the Moda Center ice. Those teams represented a variety of businesses and organizations, including a special rivalry game between the Portland Fire Bureau and the Portland Police Bureau won by the fire department.

After the fundraising games during the day, money was also raised during the Winterhawks' game that evening with a silent auction on the Moda Center concourse. Among the items up for bid were: a game-used hockey stick autographed by former Winterhawk and current Columbus Blue Jacket player Seth Jones; a game-worn jersey from current Winterhawks player Brendan DeJong; and the opportunity to drop the ceremonial pre-game puck on the ice with the team captains at an upcoming Winterhawks game. Families currently staying at a local Ronald McDonald House were also brought onto the ice before the game to "high-five" the Winterhawks players during pre-game introductions.

Hockey Challenge Day then concluded after the Winterhawks game with a special All Star Game on the Moda Center ice featuring Winterhawks alumni playing with and against the top individual fundraisers. Among the Winterhawks alumni taking part were Taylor Peters, Anton Cederholm, Max Gordichuk, John Togiai, Ryan Thrussel, Joe Mahon, Chris Rowland, and Jim Dobson.

In addition to fundraising through contributions by local hockey players and fans, Maletis Beverage and Budweiser sponsored the entire Hockey Challenge event. Bob Brown, VP of Sales for Maletis Beverage, presented a check for $2,500 to Ronald McDonald House Charities during the Winterhawks game.

Chief Executive Officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and SW Washington, Jessica Miller noted, "As a hockey player and Winterhawks fan, it was truly heartwarming to see the hockey community step up in such a big way to support seriously ill children and their families".

Bob Brown, VP of Sales for Maletis Beverage, "We are very proud to be a part of this great event. We hope that this event will continue for many years to come and we look forward to next year. We are all in for helping to build the local Hockey Community while supporting such a wonderful cause for children of the Ronald McDonald House Charities!!"

Portland Winterhawks VP Corporate Partnerships Rich Franklin said of the event, "Hockey players and fans are well-known for their generosity, in particular when helping children, and the Winterhawks thank our local hockey community for helping support this worthwhile cause. We very much look forward to hosting more Hockey Challenge Days in the years to come and to making this an annual event to benefit the kids and families staying at local Ronald McDonald Houses while receiving treatment."

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2019


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