D.C.’s hockey team fundraised for Canadian hockey team after tragedy
By Domenic Allegra, Staff Writer
The Washington Capitals hosted a fundraiser on Thursday, April 12, to help the victims of the Humboldt Broncos crash.
The Humboldt Broncos, a Canadian hockey team with players aging from 16 to 21 in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, were traveling on Saskatchewan’s Highway 35 to play in a playoff game. That game, however, was not played. Around 5 p.m. on Friday, April 6, a tractor-trailer traveling on a rural road hit the Broncos; bus, killing 16 team members and injuring 13 more.
The event has shocked Canada, but many professional and minor league hockey teams are rallying behind the Broncos through a GoFundMe page and through significant media attention.
As of Friday, April 13, the GoFundMe page is up to $10,451,16 and the hashtags “PutYourSticksOut,” “PrayersForHumboldt,” and “HumboldtStrong” caught on throughout Canada and the United States on various social media platforms.
Twenty-four different NHL teams, including the Capitals, and six MLB teams observed moments of silence before their games on April 6.
During game one of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Washington Capitals held a 50/50 raffle in which they raised $30,420. Fifty percent of the proceeds ($15,210) will go towards aiding “victims in healing and recovery in the areas of grief counseling, psychological support and physical rehabilitation,” according to monumentalfoundation.org.
The incident is still being investigated by the Saskatchewan Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who are using everything from in-person interviews to vehicle computer data in their investigation. The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League has decided to push on with the playoffs, as per the Broncos’ request.
According to the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation, anyone interested in joining the cause can donate to a fund, which will be collected throughout the Capitals’ playoff run. More information can be found at monumentalfoundation.org.
Photo courtesy of Humboldt Broncos
