INQUISITR.COM / Sports

#WorldCancerDay: Petes’ Pink In The Rink Game Raised $83K For Cancer Society

By Leomark Responde
Published on: 01:57 PST, Feb 4, 2018

In celebration of #WorldCancerDay, the Peterborough Petes won big at the Pink In The Rink last night the cause.

The 9th Pink In The Rink hockey game hosted by hockey team Peterborough Petes was held last night at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, where the Petes lost to their division rival Oshawa Generals.

The game was tight but a bit punishing on the Petes, the Peterborough Examiner reported, and the Generals took the puck home at 8 to 2, giving Petes their eight loss in a row in the playoffs.

Peterborough Petes’ alternate captain Alex Black told Peterborough Examiner how glad he was with the results of the Pink in the Rink despite their loss.

“I can’t even express what this means. I was hoping my parents would get it in the auction and for the organization and the team to do that for me means so much. Even though we did not have a good game (an 8-2 loss to the Oshawa Generals) I’m happy. It was such a nice thing for them to do. I appreciate it and I know my parents and my family will appreciate it.”

The Eastern Conference playoff game between the Petes and the Generals was a particularly special one since the game is held in tribute to honor those affected by cancer. Before the game started, a short ceremony was dedicated to cancer victims and survivors, and charity auctions were held afterwards.

The special Pink in the Rink fundraising sweaters that the Petes wore during the game was part of the post-game live jersey auction held for the cancer cause. One of the biggest sales of the night includes a game-worn jersey of Peterborough native Matt McNamara, which sold for $900.

In addition to the jersey auction, funds were also raised through t-shirt sales, chuck-a-ball, silent auction, and a bucket pass held throughout the night.

At the end of the night, the Peterborough Petes’ Pink in the Rink campaign raised $83,578.64, Go Petes Go reported. This brings their nine-year campaign total to $611,000 going to the cancer cause, in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society.

The Peterborough Petes have long been part of the efforts to draw attention to the cancer cause, especially as the world today celebrates #WorldCancerDay. Gary Dalliday, an ex-sports director at CHEX-TV for 35 years, and the co-chairman of the 9th annual Pink in the Rink fundraiser on Saturday, has been on the forefront of the event since he has agreed to co-chair with his son Pete and a teenage cancer survivor Tori Sotiriadis, despite the fact that he was just recently diagnosed with cancer for a third time.

According to his interview with the Peterborough Examiner, Dalliday has already had his bladder and kidney removed in 2009 and 2016 respectively due to cancerous tumors. This time, the cancer is back and has metastasized, spreading to his lungs. Dalliday, 76, decided not to take chemotherapy and “let nature take its course.”

According to the Peterborough and District Sports Hall of Fame member, he wants to help fight the fight against cancer with the remaining health and vigor that he has to keep people from suffering the same death sentence that he has just been handed. According to doctors, Dalliday has only six more months to live.

After their successful Pink in the Rink Saturday night, the Petes will hit the road to Ottawa today for a 2 p.m. game against the Ottawa 67’s.

Share this article: #WorldCancerDay: Petes’ Pink In The Rink Game Raised $83K For Cancer Society
pink hockey
More from Inquisitr