When the National Hockey League (NHL) drops the puck for Hockey Fights Cancer, arenas across the country glow purple. But in one small corner of Westchester County, New York, the Rivertown Legends varsity hockey team is proving you don’t have to be in the big leagues to make a meaningful impact.
Inspired by the pros and driven by their close-knit community, the team brought that same spirit to the ice through Go Pink for the Cure and turned a regular-season matchup into a powerful hockey breast cancer fundraiser.
An Idea Inspired by Hockey Fights Cancer
The Rivertown Legends are a unique hockey program, bringing together student-athletes in grades 9-12 from five school districts across Westchester County. Many of the schools are too small to support their own hockey teams, so Legends players come together and compete as one.
While the NHL’s hockey fundraiser raises funds to support cancer research in general, the Legends hockey team chose to focus on breast cancer. The cause hit close to home for many players on the team. Sammy Kearns, the mom of a fellow youth hockey player, passed away from breast cancer.
“The hockey community is very close, and many of our boys grew up playing with Sammy’s son, Jackson, on various travel hockey and other local sports teams,” said Jennifer Gallante, a team mom who helped organize the fundraiser. “They wanted to show their support for Jackson by fundraising for breast cancer.”
Fundraising with Go Pink for the Cure
Fellow team mom Jamie Costa joined Jennifer in planning the event. Unsure of where to start, she reached out to Komen’s Go Pink for the Cure team for guidance. She connected with Hannah Finnegan, who walked her through the steps to launch the team’s fundraising campaign.
“It wasn’t a competition to see who could raise the most. The boys worked as a team to see how much they could raise together.”
Jennifer Gallante, Rivertown Legends team mom
“I’m not super tech savvy, and I couldn’t have gotten it done without Hannah helping me,” Jamie said. “Nowadays, it’s so hard to get a live person to support you, and the whole process was seamless once I connected with her.”
Once the main team fundraising page was complete, players joined the fundraiser as individuals and set up their own fundraising pages. Then, they could share their personal link with friends and family to encourage donations.
Jennifer said, “It wasn’t a competition to see who could raise the most. The boys worked as a team to see how much they could raise together.”
Turning a Regular-Season Game into a Breast Cancer Fundraiser
The team held the fundraiser on Jan. 27 at the Westchester Skating Academy. Players wore pink jerseys and filled out a sign with the name of the person they were skating in honor or in memory of.
“It was staggering to see the list of names of people they were skating for,” Jamie said. “It showcased how so many of these boys have a family member or know someone who has had cancer.”
The team set up donation boxes throughout the venue, and volunteers sold pink ribbons and bracelets. Additionally, the Westchester Skating Academy donated the proceeds from the ticket sales to support the fundraiser.
One of the most successful components was the inclusion of a bake sale, which was organized in a non-traditional manner.
“We decided not to set designated prices for anything,” Jamie said. “I felt that if we priced something at $2, then that is what we would get. When we told people what we were raising money for, they wouldn’t ask for change. By doing that, the bake sale was a little more successful.”
Building Stronger Bonds On and Off the Ice
The Rivertown Legends raised just over $3,000 through its hockey breast cancer fundraiser. Jamie and Jennifer are proud of what the players were able to accomplish in their first year of fundraising. More than that, they are proud of the connections forged.
“We live in a world where everyone is disconnected,” Jamie said. “Working together, this event helped strengthen their connections in the community.”
Click here to donate to the Rivertown Legends Go Pink for the Cure fundraiser.
How to Get Involved with Go Pink for the Cure
Go Pink for the Cure is Komen’s sports and schools-focused fundraising program that encourages breast cancer awareness and healthy living while fundraising to help end breast cancer. Whether you’re looking to fundraise with a school group, sports team or fitness studio, you can play for a purpose when you Go Pink for the Cure. Learn more at Komen.org/GoPink.
Statements and opinions expressed are that of the individual and do not express the views or opinions of Susan G. Komen. This information is being provided for educational purposes only and is not to be construed as medical advice. Persons with breast cancer should consult their healthcare provider with specific questions or concerns about their treatment.
