December 10, 2017

Hockey fans support hurricane relief effort and needy children

REGIONAL
By Kathleen Harrington

(IObserve photo/courtesy of Danny Baxter)

SPRINGFIELD- More than 4,300 hockey fans braved the snowstorm Saturday night, Dec. 9 for the lively match-up of rival teams the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and to benefit the Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Fund. A portion of the ticket sales was donated to help people impacted by Hurricane Maria. The Category 4 hurricane devastated the island on Sept. 20 leaving its more than three million residents in the dark. 

“I’m very happy to be here,” said Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski, as he waited for the game to begin.

“We want to support the hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico. We’re joining with the Episcopal Diocese to help those in need,” said the bishop.

The fundraiser was a joint effort by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts, and the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Diocese of Springfield and Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts contributed $5 for every ticket sold up to $4,000.

Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski poses for a picture with Thunderbirds team president Nate Costa, Saturday, Dec. 9. A portion of the proceeds from the game went to the Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief Fund.

“As a diocese, we’ve been very supportive of Catholic Charities USA and involved in the relief efforts both in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and in Florida and Texas. This is an ongoing relief effort,” said Bishop Rozanski.

“We are happy to support the hurricane relief effort,” said Nate Costa, Thunderbirds team president.

In addition to the hurricane relief effort, this game was the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Less than two minutes into the game, the Thunderbirds scored their first goal and a flurry of teddy bears flew onto the ice. Fans were asked to bring a stuffed animal to the game to benefit needy children throughout western Massachusetts this Christmas season. The game was paused for nearly 20 minutes while the Thunderbirds players and team employees gathered stuffed animals large and small.

“We collected more than  twenty-five hundred teddy bears this year. That’s more than last year,” said Costa.

The Thunderbirds went on to win the game 4-3.