Michigan State University Athletics
Chuck A Puck To Fight Against Children's Cancer
2/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Feb. 25, 2009
Tickets for Saturday's home game against Notre Dame are available by calling 1-800- GO-STATE, or you can purchase online. Please note that the senior night ceremony - honoring the seven MSU seniors - will begin at 4:45 p.m. Gametime is 5:05 p.m. Please come early and be a part of the celebration of the career of the MSU seniors.
EAST LANSING, Mich - Michigan State hockey's "Shoot for a Cure" initiative will feature two events at the Spartans' game on Feb. 28 against Notre Dame. It's your final chance this season to get Spartan Hockey memorabilia for yourself or your favorite fan, as well as donate to a worthy cause - the fight against children's cancer.
Saturday's game will feature the second of two "Chuck-a-Puck" games this season; fans can purchase pucks at the game ($2 each, three for $5) and during the second intermission, toss them on the ice for a chance to win a prize pack from the MSU hockey family and the Department of Athletics. The puck landing closest to the center-ice dot will win a package that includes an Ipod Nano, a 2007National Championship T-shirt, and other prizes from MSU Athletics. Pucks will be sold beginning at 4 p.m. at the "Shoot for a Cure" table outside of the pro shop on the south concourse.
In addition, fans can bid on silent auction items autographed by former Spartans now playing professional hockey - great gifts for the Spartan Hockey fan. Silent auction items will include (but are not limited to) a pair of hockey gloves autographed by John-Michael Liles of the Colorado Avalanche; a Ryan Miller signed hockey stick, a Justin Abdelkader signed stick, an autographed Abdelkader MSU jersey, and a picture of the forward's game-winning goal celebration from the 2007 National Championship game; a photo of the 2007 National Champions signed by the MSU hockey staff, a signed Alexander Ovechkin bobblehead, a Pavel Datsyuk autographed game-used stick from the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, a Red Wings puck autographed by Nick Lidstrom, a 2009 Capital One Bowl placard signed by Mark Dantonio, Justin Kershaw, Brian Hoyer, and Javon Ringer, and a picture of the 1979 NCAA Champion MSU Men's Basketball team taken at last week's 30th reunion celebration.
In addition, the 2008-09 version of the "Shoot for a Cure" t-shirts will be on sale for $15. Lapel pins with the Shoot for a Cure logo will be available for $5 as well. All proceeds will go to Cure Kids Cancer at Sparrow Hospital.
In addition to the "Shoot for a Cure" activities, the Spartans will continue their post-game autograph sessions on the concourse. Saturday night, the entire senior class will sign on the northwest corner of the concourse for 30 minutes at the conclusion of the game.
ABOUT SHOOT FOR A CURE: "Shoot for a Cure" was started by former Spartan Justin Abdelkader and current senior Daniel Sturges, and is in its second season in 2008-09. Last year, the initiative raised more than $5,000 through a chuck-a-puck contest and silent auction. This year, the initiative got a jump-start with a visit by the Stanley Cup to the Michigan State-Notre Dame football game on Sept. 20. $2,500 was raised in under two hours as more than 300 people had their photo taken with the world's most famous trophy.
The Michigan State hockey team has steadily increased its commitment to the fight against children's cancer. For the past four years, team members have been volunteers at the Sparrow Hospital pediatric ward. Through the Spartan Buddies program, they have visited with many children and their families who have had to fight this awful disease. While the fundraising effort is the public face of the initiative, the team also spends time with the children and their families both at the hospital and away from the facility, hosting them at home games and practices, at special events, and developing friendships. The "Shoot for a Cure" logo is also now displayed on the ice surface at Munn Ice Arena.
Throughout the hockey season, fans can help the Spartans fight children's cancer through a variety of "Shoot for a Cure" activities. This year features two "Chuck-a-Puck" contests - the first was a Dec. 6 game against Michigan, one will also be held on Feb. 28 vs. Notre Dame. Winners will receive a prize package courtesy of the MSU hockey family, thanks to the generosity of the Spartan hockey program and former MSU skaters now in the NHL. This season, there will be silent auction items at each home game. Auction items include (but are not limited to) autographed NHL photos of former Spartans, items donated by former Spartans now playing various levels of professional hockey, autographed photos of some of the program's most-loved players during their time at MSU, and autographed items from Michigan State's 2007 National Championship and the 2001 Cold War game.
Every dollar collected through "Shoot for a Cure" - the Stanley Cup visit, the silent auctions, t-shirt sales, and Chuck-a-Puck - goes directly to Cure Kids Cancer at Sparrow Hospital. For donation information, visit the Shoot for a Cure table on the concourse during a home game or contact Director of Student-Athlete Development Angela Howard at (517) 355-2205.
