YARMOUTH, N.S. – Although the Mariners came out on the losing end of their game versus South Shore last Friday evening, a presentation that came prior to the puck dropping highlighted another winning success for the team’s Pink in the Rink initiative.
A cheque in the amount of $9,129.40 was presented to the Dr. Edwin Janke Cancer Centre. Of that amount, $9,000 was raised through the auctioning of custom pink jerseys that the players wore at the home games during October – a total that exceeded last year’s effort.
The Mariners wore pink jerseys for the month of October to raise funds for the cancer centre at the Yarmouth hospital.
The donation will be used by the cancer centre to purchase a portable ultrasound machine, which it does not have.
“The nurses and all of the physicians and the medical oncology team in general are all extremely grateful for the time and effort that went into this campaign to raise money for us to purchase the piece of equipment that will be used to help provide the excellent care that patients receive in the area,” said Dr. Alenia Kysela.
She explained the portable ultrasound will be used to help find the veins of patients, which will take away discomfort associated with IV treatment.
“Sometimes because of the nature of the patients’ illnesses it can be hard to find a vein for an IV and so the patients have to go through multiple attempts, which can be painful so this will help eliminate that step,” she said.
Keith Condon, an owner of the Mariners, was thrilled with how Pink in the Rink went over. The initiative was sponsored overall by Modern Realty, he said, meaning there was no costs to the team for the purchase of the jerseys, therefore 100 per cent of proceeds could go to the cancer centre.
“Over the moon is an understatement,” Condon said about the success of the campaign. “Everybody stepped up and bid and Carmen Coffin did a great job with her raffle basket and a lot of sponsors helped us out so we have no cost. We’re really happy.”
GAME SCORE
Meanwhile, the Mariners – who showcased a new home jersey – fell 4-1 to the South Shore Lumberjacks in the Nov. 10 game that followed.
In their first home loss of the season, the Mariners scored first for the 1-0 lead at the 3:26 mark of the game on a goal by Keegan Gauthier (Noah McMullin) but that would be the Mariners only goal in the game as South Shore goalie MacKenzie Janes stopped 31 of 32 shots. The Lumberjacks scored once in the first period and three more times in the second.
This weekend the Mariners have a busy road schedule with a Nov. 17 game in Campbellton, a Nov. 18 contest in Miramichi and a Nov. 19 game in Edmundston.
Their next home game is Nov. 25 when they host the St. Stephen Aces.
The Mariners have a 13-4 record so far this season.
