STICK IT TO CANCER TOURNAMENT FORGES NEW GROUND
NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release, February 22, 2008
For more information:
Jackie Olson, Stick-It to Cancer Tournament Coordinator
763.792.7340
jolson@superrink.org
Sanya Sandahl, Stick-It to Cancer Tournament Coordinator
763.717.3210
ssandahl@superrink.org
Women raising funds for cancer research is not new. Women are spectacular at that. But playing hockey to raise money, now that’s unusual. But for the last nine years, the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota has been hosting the Stick It To Cancer tournament , a multi-faceted event that has exploded into a major cancer research fund-raiser. This year’s tournament, the tenth anniversary, will be held April 18-20.
The hockey tournament began back in 1999 and was created by Sue Olson, a family from Circle Pines, and the Centennial Youth Hockey Association to assist one woman in the community who had breast cancer. The woman’s name was Jody Anderson, a hockey player. The first year of the event, the funds were raised to assist her and her family with medical bills. The tournament was a small community-based event with local interest and personal relationships. Eighteen girls’ and women’s teams played in the inaugural tournament.
Thanks to the first Stick It To Cancer Tournament and the Centennial Youth Hockey Association, Jody was able to go to the M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center in Texas for chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Sadly, Jody died one week before the second year of the Stick It To Cancer Tournament.
After that first year, the event continued on and began to expand, with the funds being given to the Susan G. Komen Cancer Fund from 2000 to 2004. In 2005 Hope Chest received the donations. Then for 2006 and 2007 the University of Minnesota Cancer Research Fund received the proceeds of the Stick It To Cancer Tournament. From a humble start, with fund-raising of $2,000 in the first year, the tournament’s 2007 donation was $45,000.
Now boasting 90 teams, Stick It To Cancer has become a premier female hockey tournament in Minnesota. Teams come year after year from as far away as Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, and Ontario, Canada.
In addition to playing in the tournament, girls and women organize, manage, and volunteer to make this outstanding event happen. There is a volunteer organizing committee that works to attract other volunteers as ticket sellers, security staff, score clock operators, penalty box, athletic trainers, and official referees. The event runs on a 90 percent volunteer basis.
Teams pay a tournament fee to register their team. Players work as a team to raise funds for the cancer cause as well. For a fresh twist, the team raising the most donations is the winner should there be a tie-breaking situation.
In 2007, the Michiana Sting, of South Bend, Indiana brought in the most donations -- $2,750, earning them the “Top Donation Hockey Stick” award.
Michael Jaskiewicz of the Michiana Sting is bringing his team back for the 2008 tournament, and he is also donating the prized hockey stick back to the tournament. He hopes his team can win it back this year.
To assist in increasing the revenue for the Cancer Research Center a waffle breakfast is held on the Saturday morning of the tournament and is open to anyone. Even if you are not playing in the hockey tournament, your attendance at the waffle breakfast would be a way to donate to Cancer Research.
Additional funds are raised from the tournament vendors, who donate a percentage of sales to the event. Vendors for 2008 are: Rinky (female hockey apparel), LJB Jewelry, PSA Charities Auction and Eniva. A silent auction and sales of “Stick It” apparel further contribute.
When the Schwan Super Rink expanded from four to eight sheets of ice in 2006, the Stick It To Cancer tournament was able to expand as well. Now as many as 90 female teams can play three games in three days. And....something special for the 10th Anniversary; the teams will get to play hockey on PINK ICE!
Jody Anderson would be so proud to have been a part of this wonderful event. Wouldn’t it be great if the funds raised through Stick It To Cancer could assist someone like Jody to be cured? To volunteer your time for the Stick It To Cancer Tournament just call Jackie Olson at 763-792-7340 or check out our website at www.superrink.org.