by Christina Caligiuri || AHL On The Beat Archive
The Manitoba Moose will show their support for Canadian Forces Members with their annual Military Appreciation Night when the Providence Bruins visit the MTS Centre on Saturday, March 7, 2009.
About 1500 service members and their families are expected to be in attendance for the 7:30 p.m. game and the theme for this year’s event is “Military Families: Strength behind the Uniform.”
The men and women of the Canadian Forces are dedicated to their mission in Afghanistan and all over the world as well as many other domestic operations. It is often the family of the serving member who provides them with the most support. This military appreciation event serves as an opportunity to not only thank the military members for their contributions, but to show gratitude to their families for the immense amount of support they provide every day.
This Military Appreciation Night is an important event for a multitude of reasons but mainly it is a morale booster for local Canadian Forces members and reminds them that the local community appreciates the contributions each of them has made to Canada.
The night will begin with Canadian singer and composer Loreena McKennitt performing the Canadian National Anthem along side the Air Command Band followed by a special ceremonial puck-drop presentation.
Members of the Manitoba Moose will wear limited edition CADPAT jerseys, a replica of the Canadian Military Uniform, featuring a yellow ribbon on the shoulder.
Jeff Mager, director of ticket sales for the Manitoba Moose, always looks forward to this evening when fans can rally together to show their support.
“Events like this highlight the presence of the military in the Manitoba area and reminds people that military personnel are just people, like you and I – they have families, go to work everyday and watch hockey like anyone else. Our goal is to give the community the opportunity to thank these people and give them an opportunity to express their appreciation.”
