Amanda Keator

6/23/17
Intern Project

Hockey Fights Cancer Night

What has been done by other teams and is noteworthy

NBA Cavaliers Fight Breast Cancer Night
They partnered with the Bright Pink organization
Had pink filters on all of their photos
All of the outfits worn by staff and players were pink. They also made the
entrance to the stadium light up pink, and all normal lights used
throughout the game were pink.
I think we could pull from this idea and make all of the lights used
during the pregame and during the game all purple.
Red Wings
They created custom lavender towels with the saying I Fight For (similar
to our signature yellow towels we give out during games).
Players autographed custom lavender Hockey Fights Cancer pucks that
were auctioned off.
There was an I Fight For photo station, where there was a photo booth
with the I Fight For and I Survived signs you could fill in. From the
machine, you could then post the photo directly to Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, or other social media platforms
New Jersey Devils
They had a kid with a long-term illness sign a one-day contract, which
basically meant the kid had the chance to become a Devil for a day during
the Hockey Fights Cancer Night home game. The official signing was
publicized all over Twitter and other social media platforms.
The child chosen attended the teams morning skate, got autographs from
the team, participated in team warm ups on the ice, and dropped the puck
at the first face off of the game.
The Devils also created really cool game day posters that they sold for $5
and all proceeds were donated to cancer research.
 Washington Capitals
Paired with Make A Wish foundation
Each player on the team was assigned a Make A Wish kid to connect with.
They also created video testimonials featuring players reading
bibliographies of their Make a Wish kid. The Capitals then posted the
images of their kid on the Capitals Hockey Fights Cancer board.
The players also wore a nameplate on their jersey of their Make A Wish
kid on the lavender jerseys they sported on the Hockey Fights Cancer
Night. They met with their Make A Wish kid in the locker room after the
game for a photo op.
Calgary Flames
They partnered with Alberta Childrens Hospital Foundation and
recognized 5 kids who were cancer survivors in a pregame ceremony at
the Hockey Fights Cancer Night. The Flames then hosted these children
at every home game during the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, which
lasted about a month. This included meeting with players after the game,
getting photos, and getting apparel signed by the team

I think these are all great ideas that we could take some inspiration from. We
could pair with Make A Wish and give some of the A players, such as Chara, Bergeron,
Marchand, and Krejci, Make A Wish kids that they could connect with. We could video
tape each player reading their Make A Wish kids story. On the Hockey Fights Cancer
Night, we could play these videos in between periods. The kids that Make A Wish
foundation connects us with would get a chance to attend the home game dedicated to
Hockey Fights Cancer. After the video of their story is played in the Garden, the big
screen would then show the child whose story was just read. That would become a
moment for applause and recognition from the crowd. There could also be a photo op
after the game of the Make A Wish kids with the players, which is similar to what the
Capitals did. I know the Bruins have partnered with Make A Wish in the past, but it has
not been done for several years, or at all for a Hockey Fights Cancer Night.

Potential Organizations to Partner with

Make A Wish Foundation this would be good to make connections with kids
who have been affected by long-term illnesses and to find patients to invite to
games
http://wish.org/ways-to-help#sm.0001ddl443enzfj8qsw1jl7neshzy
Boston Childrens Hospital same as Make A Wish, they could put us in contact
with patients and families to invite
http://www.childrenshospital.org/about-us/contact-us
Jimmy Fund Clinic
AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston
They are a non-profit in Jamaica Plain that serves as a "home away from
home" for patients traveling more than 40 miles to their outpatient
treatments. There is no charge to stay at Hope Lodge, for either the
patient or his or her caregivers.
Found this on the American Cancer Society page, another possible
partner.
Since its opening in November 2008, the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center
in Boston has provided over 94,000 nights of free lodging to 2,850 cancer
patients from 48 states and 15 countries, saving them more than $17
million in housing costs.
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/support-programs-and-services/patient-
lodging/hope-lodge/boston/about-our-facility.html
The Ellie Fund Breast cancer
RACE Cancer Foundation
This is an organization that creates running events to raise awareness and
funds for cancer charities. We could partner with them and another
organization that I have listed above to plan a Boston Bruins 5K where
people ran to support Boston Childrens Hospital, the Jimmy Fund, etc.
The race would take place during the Cancer Awareness Month. For
example, the Hockey Fights Cancer Night home game would take place
Saturday night at 7, and the race would be earlier that day around noon.
 The entire day is then dedicated to Hockey Fights Cancer. Players, Bruins
legends, or Blades would make appearances at the race.
https://racecancer.org/about-us
http://www.bostoncancersupport.org/ an organization that could possibly put
us in contact with people

You Can Play/Hockey is for Everyone

What has been done by other teams and is noteworthy

Every team used the pride tape and made the team pride shirts incorporating the
rainbow, which is something the Bruins and all teams should do again since it
was successful.
New York
HIFE teamed up with Ice Hockey in Harlem and used funds to help
improve the skating program for inner-city kids who would not have had
teh chance to play or been exposed to ice hockey.
https://www.si.com/nhl/2016/06/28/nhl-hockey-is-for-everyone-inner-city-
youth-programs
Maple Leafs
Presented a $5,000 check to You Can Play
Penguins
Had an LGBT night and used one of their luxury boxes to host LGBT
youth, and they had one of the LGBT youth sing the national anthem
Chicago Blackhawks
allowing a number LGBT organizations to have booths at the big
night game for the Hockey is for Everyone Initiative
Oilers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay_2X01fYRo
Used all rainbow lights during warm ups
Had a kid waving rainbow flag skating on ice during warm ups
Used rainbow pride tape, very similar to everyone else
Washington Capitals
Hosted a player from the United Arab Emirates for several days, the
player attended a skills session and participated in the puck drop at a
home game
Hosted a hockey clinic for kids with physical and developmental
disabilities
Hosted a Chinese cultural night
Held a screening of Soul on Ice, which is a film that is about the history of
black hockey players, the Blackhawks did this as well.
 They also had personalized goalie masks

Similar to what other organizations have done in the past, the Bruins could host a
showing of Soul on Ice, which a film about the history of African American hockey
players. The entire event would be hosted by the Bruins and there could be some
Bruins giveaways and a raffle to benefit charities that share any common theme with
Hockey is for Everyone. There are a lot of outdoor venues that could host the event, but
one in particular is the Boston Harbor Hotel. They do a lot of outdoor moving showings,
so we could partner with them to show the film. We have already done the pride shirts.
The Bruins could also do a pride jersey and auction them off after wearing them during
warm ups, which is similar to the Hockey Fights Cancer lavender jersey auction.

Potential organizations to partner with/possible invite list

Athlete Ally** They are already partnered with the MLB and NBA, so it could be a
good opportunity for us to get involved as well
LGBTQ SportSafe Inclusion Program
BAGLY (Boston Alliance of Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Youth)
Boston Area Trans Support (BATS)
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
GLSEN has worked with NBA before
Boston Pride Hockey
http://bostonpridehockey.org/new-our-story
We could schedule a scrimmage/skills session with them
Great opportunity for outreach to the LGBTQ community in Boston
After scrimmage/skills session we could give them tickets or have them
come to a game and show their group there on the big screen to honor the
You Can Play initiative. They would definitely be a great organization to
invite to the event.