OLIVER PAIPOONGE – The Kam River Fighting Walleye plan to pay tribute to Indigenous People on Friday night.
The Warrior Walleye Orange Wave Indigenous Night, staged during their home game at Norwest Arena against the expansion Kenora Islanders, will help raise money for the Fort Hope Emergency Fund and the Walleye Warrior Indigenous Scholarship.
Students in Eabametoong First Nation lost their school in January when it burned to the ground. Charges have been laid against three youth in the community.
“There is no reconciliation without education and when we have nights like this where I’m afforded an opportunity by (Warrior Supply owner) Jason (Thompson), and some of our other guests, to share our culture and our respect of this place called Turtle Island where we live together, good things really can happen,” said Vern Ray, senior hockey operations advisor for the Fighting Walleye, who are tied for top spot in the Superior International Junior Hockey League with the Thunder Bay North Stars.
Eighteen different businesses have partnered together to hand out 500 Orange Wave rally towels to fans entering the arena on Friday night.
It’s a great way to help a great cause, Thompson said.
“As an Indigenous person who grew up on the rez, it’s really about building a life of prosperity from poverty and it’s something we have pushed and promoted on a daily basis. I believe in the power of education and the power of sport - it’s been beneficial for me through my journey in life and business and it’s vitally important to continue that; we are very happy to be a part of this again,” Thompson said, in a release issued on Wednesday by the team.
The RBC pregame ceremony will be held with a traditional smudging of the arena and the players, along with a cheque presentation to the Fort Hope School Emergency Fund and the singing of The Eagle Song.
A special edition Walleye Warrior jersey will be worn by the players, signed, and auctioned off to fans after the game. The auction can be found at https://auctria.events/walleyewarrior.
Three Every Child Matters sticks, signed by the team, will also be auctioned off.
The auction ends on Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
Game time is 7:45 p.m. on Friday night.
