The University of Georgia hockey team will be partnering with Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer (BBBC) and St. Mary’s Hospital of Athens for their “Pink in the Rink” hockey game on October 17 and 18. The Bulldogs will face off against Clemson on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m., and will play against Georgia Tech on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The team is encouraging fans to wear pink in support of the cause.
The Ice Dawgs will be wearing special edition breast cancer jerseys during both game, which will be auctioned off after Friday night’s game along with several other UGA hockey items. Fans interested in bidding on the game worn jerseys can do so by visiting the merchandise table at the games. All of the proceeds from the auctions will go directly to BBBC and St. Mary’s of Athens.
“The UGA Hockey Pink In the Rink games are a special event for our organization,” Georgia Hockey’s general manager John Camp said. “The opportunity to partner with Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer and St. Mary’s Hospital to support the funding of mammograms for those who cannot afford the testing, is a great cause. Our players get to expand beyond the UGA campus and support their adopted community in Athens.”
Last season, the University of Georgia Hockey team was able to raise over $10,000 in partnership with BBBC and St. Mary’s of Athens. The Ice Dawgs were recognized with the annual Community Service Award by the ACHA last season for their efforts in raising money for BBBC and St. Mary’s of Athens.
BBBC is a 501-C3 nonprofit charity in Athens that raises money for St. Mary’s Hospital and Teresa’s Hope. Teresa Abbott was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 and battled the disease for 18 months. After Teresa was pronounced cancer free, the Abbott family created BBBC to fight breast cancer through early detection and assistance to women in need who may not have the resources to get the services they need.
“UGA Hockey has had a lot of success in recent years and we are proud to partner with them,” BBBC board member Dwight Strandidge said. “It is a win-win to be able to cross-promote the Pink in the Rink event, raise the level of awareness in the local community about our charity and the University of Georgia hockey team.”
BBBC has raised just over $875,000 to date to provide free mammograms for women in need in the northeast Georgia area, as well as educational materials on the importance of early detection. After raising $105,000 in 2017, BBBC raised $125,000 in 2018, and this year they are aiming to raise $150,000+.
Follow UGA Hockey on Facebook or Twitter for more updates on the game. To find out more about Bulldogs Battling Breast Cancer you can visit their website at www.bulldogsbattlingbreastcancer.com.
