More than $17,000 in donations will be awarded during this year's Hockeytown Cares Community Tour, courtesy of ITC and the Detroit Red Wings. Last season, the Red Wings organization was proud to represent more than $2 million in combined community support across Michigan.
Red Wings prospects will once again participate in the Hockeytown Cares Community Tour, as the full roster of players skating in the 2019 NHL Prospect Tournament will visit the Cherryland Humane Society on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 12:30 p.m. After touring the facility, the Red Wings prospects will visit and interact with adoptable pets. The Red Wings will then share photos of several pets on the team's social media platforms to help the Cherryland Humane Society further its mission to find the pets responsible, loving and permanent homes. The people who adopt the animals highlighted by the Red Wings social media platforms will receive a special Red Wings prize pack.
On Monday, Sept. 9, more than 50 patients, survivors and volunteers from the Traverse City American Cancer Society will visit Centre Ice Arena as guests of the Red Wings to watch the team's prospects square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs prospects at 6:00 p.m., as part of the 2019 NHL Prospect Tournament. The Red Wings will make a $3,500 donation to the American Cancer Society to support their Road to Recovery program, which provides transportation to and from treatment for cancer patients. Members of the Red Wings front office staff will visit with the guests prior to the game, and the Red Wings and ITC will donate Hockey Fights Cancer-themed gift bags to the guests.
Forwards Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha are teaming up for the second-straight year to make two stops on Tuesday, Sept. 10, en route to Training Camp. The players will make their first stop at the Flint Fire Department where they will receive a tour of the facilities from Rico Phillips, recipient of the Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award at the 2019 NHL Awards. Phillips, a Flint firefighter, founded the Flint Inner City Youth Hockey program in 2010 and serves as the program director. Through the nine-week program, which provides the children of Flint the opportunity to play hockey for free, high school hockey teams and parents provide mentorship on and off the ice - building character by promoting commitment, hard work, belief and openness. The Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award recognizes an individual who has worked to make a positive impact on his or her community, culture or society to make people better through hockey. The Red Wings players will present a $5,000 donation to the Flint Inner City Youth Hockey program and leave a set of street hockey equipment for the firefighters.
New this year, the general public is invited to attend a stop of the Hockeytown CaresCommunity Tour, from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m on Tuesday September 10, as the Red Wings players will stop at St. Laurent Brothers candy and nut shop in Bay City to work behind the counter and serve customers. Known for its roasted nuts, hand-dipped chocolates and ice cream, St. Laurent Brothers was founded in 1904 and is an iconic staple of downtown Bay City. During the visit, the Red Wings players will make a $2,500 donation to the Bay County Civic Arena's Learn to Skate program. Due to time constraints, the Red Wings players will not be signing autographs for customers and will depart the store at 11:30 a.m. Media availability with the players will take place at the conclusion of the visit at approximately 11:15 a.m.
