The Nipissing Lakers are paying tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during this Saturday’s Military Appreciation games.
They’ll be sporting jerseys marking the anniversary, which will then be auctioned off after the game.
It’s the 14th annual event which has raised over $32,000 over the years.
Proceeds are going to the Military Family Resource Centre to support local military families.
“The jerseys are using that RCAF 100 logo and the way that we got approval for that logo is to specify that part is for RCAF families,” says Tessa Clermont, Executive Director. “But the proceeds from all the previous games and the chuck-a-puck that we’re doing this weekend that can generally go to support military and veteran families.”
This weekend’s games also mark the first time Nipissing won’t be facing off against Royal Military College.
Mike McParland, head coach of the men’s team, says it’s exciting to know the cheers may be louder for the Lakers this year.
“It is, to know that potentially all of the military personnel in attendance on Saturday will be cheering for Nipissing instead of maybe a 50-50 split as it has been in the past,” he says. “We hope we have that little extra push because we definitely need it. We’re presently sitting in fourth place in the ten-team West Division and the season is coming to an end, we need some wins and we’re playing some tough teams.”
The nationally-ranked Nipissing women play Brock at 5 pm followed by the men playing Toronto Metropolitan University at 7:30 pm.
Tickets are available at battalionhockey.com