MSU Sponsors Silent Auction To “Shoot For A Cure”

“Shoot for a Cure” continues to raise money for children with cancer and their families.  EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State hockey’s “Shoot for

“Shoot for a Cure” continues to raise money for children with cancer and their families.

 

Photo courtesy of the MSU SID

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State hockey’s “Shoot for a Cure” initiative will feature a silent auction at the Spartans’ game on Saturday, Jan. 30 at Joe Louis Arena against the University of Michigan. It’s a chance to get exciting memorabilia for yourself or your favorite fan, as well as donate to a worthy cause - the fight against children’s cancer.

           

The Jan. 30 game at Joe Louis Arena will feature a silent auction. Fans have the first two periods of action to bid on items autographed by former Spartans and Wolverines now playing professional hockey, as well as other generous donations from former Spartans in the front office of the NHL teams in Boston, Detroit, Washington, and Nashville.  In addition, other memorabilia from other MSU programs will be available, including autographed items from football coach Mark Dantonio and men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo. Bidding closes at the end of the second intermission, and auction winners can pick up their items during the third period. 

 

“Our alumni have really embraced this, and so many people have helped to gather great stuff not only from former Spartans, but also former Wolverines, too,” noted Justin Abdelkader, who is currently in his second full professional season and first full NHL season with the Detroit Red Wings organization. “When we started this, I wanted to make sure that it was a program that could continue after I left and allow the MSU hockey program help these children and families living with a cancer diagnosis. It’s an important cause, and whatever side you root for in this great rivalry, everyone can come together and help make a difference.”

 

A sampling of items that will be available at the Jan. 30 auction are on the attached page.  Additional items are arriving daily, and a complete list and photo gallery of all auction items will be available at www.msuspartans.com on Friday, Jan. 29.

 

Tickets for next Saturday’s game against Michigan at Joe Louis Arena are now available by visiting www.collegehockeyatthejoe.com. Tickets are priced at $32, $22, $12 and $10 and are available at the Joe Louis Arena Box Office and all Ticketmaster retail locations, including Hockeytown Cafe in Detroit and Hockeytown Authentics in Troy. Tickets for the remaining home games at Munn Ice Arena can be purchased by calling the Spartan Ticket office at 1-800-GO-STATE (355-1610 in the Lansing area) or going online at www.msuspartans.com.

 

 

Shoot For a Cure Silent Auction Items - Jan. 30, 2010, Joe Louis Arena

new items will be added through Jan. 28 - final list will be printed on Friday, Jan. 29

 

 

• Atlanta Thrashers jersey signed by the 2008-09 team, donated by former Spartan Jim Slater

 

• Autographed Buffalo Sabres jersey from Ryan Miller, who will play for Team USA in the upcoming Vancouver Olympic Games

 

• Autographed Boston Bruins replica jersey from Flint native Tim Thomas, who will play for Team USA in the upcoming Vancouver Olympic Games

 

• “Cold War” (2001 outdoor game) program, signed by Ryan Miller

 

• Hockey stick signed by former Wolverines and current Washington Capitals Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison

 

• Autographed Tim Kennedy Buffalo Sabres replica jersey

 

• Autographed stick from Chris Chelios

 

• Autographed game-worn (senior season) Jeff Lerg Michigan State jersey

 

• Autographed 2009 Final Four photo (National Championship game tip-off) and basketball signed by MSU head coach Tom Izzo

 

• Autographed Red Wings pucks, signed by Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk

 

• 2007 Frozen Four puck autographed by Justin Abdelkader

 

• Autographed football signed by MSU head coach Mark Dantonio 

 

• Puck signed by Washington Capitals team captain Alexander Ovechkin

 

• Milwaukee Admirals jersey signed by Chris Mueller

 

• Autographed football signed by former MSU and current Tennessee Titan running back Javon Ringer 

 

• Michigan State 2007 National Championship team photo, autographed by the coaching staff and selected players

 

• Autographed picture from current Boston Bruin (and former Wolverine) Matt Hunwick

 

• Autographed photos from Jeff Lerg, Tim Kennedy, and Justin Abdelkader during their MSU days

 

• Autographed photos of Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres) and Shawn Horcoff (Edmonton Oilers)

 

• Autographed goalie stick from former Spartan netminder Jeff Lerg

 

• Nashville Predators jersey signed by the 2009-10 team

 

• Nashville Predators pucks, autographed by Captain Jason Arnott and 2010 U.S. Olympian Ryan Suter

 

• Autographed stick and poster from the 2009 MSU Pro Camp, signed by 24 former Spartans playing professional hockey.

 

• Autographed stick from Florida Panther David Booth

 

 

ABOUT “SHOOT FOR A CURE”: Shoot for a Cure was started by Justin Abdelkader and Daniel Sturges, and is now in its third season. Shoot for a Cure was greatly influenced by and got its start through the Spartan Buddies program, which was founded by Drew Miller in 2005. Miller started Spartan Buddies to involve MSU athletes from all sports to visit sick children in Sparrow Hospital’s pediatric ward. Through their participation in Spartan Buddies, Abdelkader and Sturges were particularly moved by the circumstances facing families who had a child battling cancer - and Shoot for a Cure was born.

   Shoot for a Cure hasn’t replaced Spartan Buddies, only broadened its focus, ability to reach people, and a way to help financially. All money raised through the initiative has gone to Sparrow Hospital for its Cure Kids Cancer chairty, and starting in 2009-10, will be donated to Brandon’s Defense Foundation. Brandon’s Defense was started in honor of Brandon Gordon, and DeWitt teenager who grew particularly close to the MSU hockey family and lost his courageous two-year battle with osteosarcoma in February 2009. The Foundation, in addition to helping fund research to fight childhood cancers, Brandon’s Defense’s initiatives also include those aimed at improving a patient’s quality of life: necessity bags for families of recently-diagnosed children with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses, a snack pantry for families to utilize during long clinic visits, and backpacks that contain things to entertain newly-diagnosed children during long hospital stays.

   While the fundraising effort is a big part of Shoot for a Cure, the team also spends time with the children and their families both at the hospital and away from the facility, hosting them at home games and practices, at special events, and developing friendships. The “Shoot for a Cure” logo is also now displayed on the ice surface at Munn Ice Arena.

   In its first three months (January-March, 2008), Shoot for a Cure raised more than $5,000 through a chuck-a-puck contest and silent auction. In 2008-09, the initiative got a jump-start with a visit by the Stanley Cup to the Michigan State-Notre Dame football game on Sept. 20. $2,500 was raised in under two hours as more than 300 people had their photo taken with the world’s most famous trophy.  An ongoing fundraiser is “Chuck-a-Puck” at selected home games, where winners receive a prize package courtesy of the MSU hockey family, thanks to the generosity of the Spartan hockey program and former MSU skaters now in the NHL. In addition, silent auctions have featured autographed NHL photos of former Spartans, items donated by former Spartans now playing various levels of professional hockey, autographed photos of some of the program’s most-loved players during their time at MSU, and memorabilia not only from the hockey program, but also MSU football and men’s basketball programs as well.

   Shoot for a Cure has continued to inspire not only current Michigan State athletes, but also the Spartan hockey alumni. In August, Munn Arena hosted a “Skate with the Pros” event, spearheaded by Abdelkader, and Bryan and Jeff Lerg. In conjunction with MSU’s annual Pro Camp, 20 former MSU skaters now playing professional hockey spent an afternoon signing autographs and skating with Spartan fans. That event raised more than $1,700, but also showed the MSU hockey program’s belief that giving back to the community does not end after your final game in Green and White. Abdelkader and Miller, now playing for the Detroit Red Wings, have remained actively involved in Shoot for a Cure activities. 

           Every dollar collected through “Shoot for a Cure” has gone to either Cure Kids Cancer or Brandon’s Defense. For donation information, contact MSU’s Director of Student-Athlete Development Angela Howard at (517) 355-2205.