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55 for #55: Stars fans raise $30,000 for the Jets Foundation
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

When tragedy strikes beyond hockey, NHL fans are always all-class.

A few hours after the Jets organization announced that Mark Scheifele’s father, Brad, had passed away, a magnificent initiative was born.

Dallas Stars fans decided to donate $55 – $55 for #55 – to two foundations supported by the Jets forward: True North Youth Foundation and KidSport Canada.

Many fans in Winnipeg, and across the league, decided to follow the wave when it went to X.

Elliotte Friedman contacted Lia Assimakopoulos, spokesperson for the Jets Foundation, after the game. She told him that an hour after the final whistle, more than $30,000 in donations of $55 had been received in a single day.

No news from KidSport Canada this morning.

Nevertheless, here’s another fine example of the solidarity that characterizes the world of hockey.

he initiative was born on the Stars’ Reddit, as several users set an example by doing so and encouraging others to join the movement. 55 CAD ($40 USD) may be a trivial sum, but $30,000 can make a difference in the lives of many children.

Even if the Jets ultimately lost the series in six games, this mobilization may act as a balm on the heart of Mark Scheifele, who decided to play game #6 despite the events. We have to understand that going through all this while on the road must be even harder, being physically far from his family, and that such gestures may have shown him that he wasn’t alone through this ordeal.

He also received a lot of love after the match, from team-mates and opponents alike. Note that he was in the penalty box when the Stars scored the winning goal…


Overtime

– Hockey inspiration for winning baseball. Read more.

– It’s the start of the Alliance season.

– In addition to the Panthers, we’re talking about 4 clubs that are really “due” to win.

This article first appeared on Dose.ca and was syndicated with permission.

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