HOUGHTON, Mich. (WJMN) – On Saturday night, the Michigan Upper Peninsula Veterans Hockey Club (MUPVHC) took to the ice to raise money for a good cause.
“We invited the Minnesota Warriors. We had seen them play in other tournaments that we were also participating in, so we invited them to help raise money for ELK, a Keweenaw equipment loan. We invited them here for a fundraiser,” Tom Hilkas said. , member of MUPVHC. “I think you'll see some sled hockey today and there'll be some demonstrations. We're raising money for that and we hope to have a fun hockey game. We have a good rivalry with Minnesota. We're good friends on the ice, but I'm sure it'll be a good, good fight off the ice.”
“They donate event proceeds to Keweenaw Equipment Loans, which is incredibly generous and we are extremely grateful” Monica, Kiweenaw Founder and Director of Equipment Loans・The idiot said. Veterans groups donated to the silent auction and helped raise money. The city of Houghton also donated ice time, so the community support from both veterans groups and the city of Houghton was really great. ”
Veterans from across the state attended the game, as well as hundreds of area residents who came out to support the event at Houghton's historic Dee Stadium.
“We played a Grand Rapids team here a few years ago and had a lot of support from the community,” Hilkas said. “The stands were packed, the Michigan Tech pep band came out, and it felt like there was a lot of energy in the building. It's a lot of fun when the game starts, and we're excited by the turnout and the support we have. It turns out to be impressive.”
“The Dee is a historic building and it's great to be able to host an event like this in the birthplace of professional hockey,” Aho said. “The city and DeArena were incredibly generous to our group. They gave us a place to play. They provided us with storage facilities and brought us to 1000. %, so it is very important that we have storage facilities in this building. We had a great turnout last year and we expect a similar turnout this year. Our Retirement It’s incredible to see the community support for our military members and for the charities that our community has been incredibly supportive of.”
Both sides fell into an ice age as the house shook. Even though he was down 3-0 in the first period, Yoopers regained the match.
In the end, the UP Veterans won with 8 wins and 5 losses. Bringing home the W is always fun, but for veterans it's also a time to reconnect and enjoy one of their favorite pastimes.
“You could see the camaraderie between everyone in the locker room, the players on both sides,” Hilkas said. “I know it helps a lot of guys to be in the locker room again after being discharged and doing something competitive like this. It's a lot of fun. It's a challenge. It brings people together when everyone works together. It's great for building camaraderie and that's what I'm most looking forward to. Seeing everyone and playing together again.”
Click the link below to connect with Michigan Upper Peninsula Veterans Hockey Club and Keweenaw Equipment Loans on Facebook.
