Annual charity hockey game to benefit cafe, bike safety

CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — You’ll be able to see professional hockey this weekend, but it’s not at Van Andel Arena. Instead, it’s in Cascade Township and proceeds are raising money for charity.

The fourth annual charity hockey event is put on by the Cascade Firefighter’s Association. The event had a full rebrand this year with new jerseys and a logo featuring a piranha mascot.

The new mascot was inspired by the live piranhas that are inside the new fire station because a firefighter wanted the station to have emotional support pets. Firefighters said they didn’t expect the fish to grow as fast as they did.

The event will be held at Patterson Ice Arena on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There will be live music, food trucks, face painting and a Touch a Truck in the parking lot. The puck drops at 6:15 p.m.

“Looking forward to getting the community together, seeing all the kids come out,” Jon Snyder, a firefighter and EMT for Cascade Township, said.

There will be professional and amateur hockey players taking the ice to battle it out for charity. Dominik Shine will be playing for his fourth year of the event. He is a right wing for the Grand Rapids Griffins. He will be joined by former Olympian Chad Billins who also played for the Griffins and the Calgary Flames. It is Billins first year playing in this charity match.

“This is elite, high-level hockey in a small, kind of a home-town environment, home-town rink, so we’re super excited for this. It’s going to be a nice fast skate, so it’s exciting,” Snyder said.

All proceeds from the game go towards Brody’s Be Cafe and Riding for Ryan. Brody’s Be Cafe employs people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Riding for Ryan was created by a Cascade Township first responder after his son Ryan was hit and killed by a car while riding his bike. The charity gives out bike flags to help increase the visibility of bikers on the road.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. This year, the association added ticket packages. They said it would help make buying multiple tickets cheaper for large groups and families.

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