When the Winnipeg Blues were shut down this earlier this week, it became quite apparent that the team would need to find a unique way to stay connected during difficult times.
Look no further than the 2020 Ride Inside Wheel with the Wheelers – A cancer fundraiser led by Winnipeg Jets captain, Blake Wheeler that is aimed toward supporting PROFYLE at CancerCare Manitoba. Short for PRecision Oncology For Young peopLE, this initiative gives children, adolescents and young adults who are out of conventional treatment options another chance to beat their cancer.
“At the start of the year we were thinking of team building activities we could do,” shared Blues Head Coach & General Manager, Taras McEwen. “It became evident, that with the restrictions in place we would have to think outside the box. Brian Foreman (Brayden Foreman’s dad) approached us about this great initiative and we jumped at the idea of getting the players together and raising money for a great cause.”
“As a team, we were able to work together on something positive, something that made a difference. Our players and staff have a competitive spirit which has helped us to exceed our expectations over and over again. I am very proud of what we have accomplished,” McEwen concluded.
According to McEwen, Blues captain, Brayden Foreman was a big part of the teams success during their fundraising efforts. When asked about why it means so much to the Blues, Foreman was quick to point to the impact cancer has had on so many members of the team.
“I think most people you would talk to on our team have been affected one way or another through cancer whether it’s a family member or a friend and when we saw that Blake Wheeler was being a front runner for this initiative, it was really cool for us to see that,” Foreman explained.
“I don’t think any of us really imagined that we would raise over twenty thousand dollars collectively as a team. Our original goal was to reach ten thousand but we continued to see the generosity and that number grew and grew. It was really incredible to reach that twenty thousand dollar mark.”
When it was all said and done, the Blues raised an outstanding $20,300 that will go directly towards helping Cancer Care Manitoba.
“It’s tough on everybody with our season at a bit of a stand still right now, especially with the start our team got off to but we’ve all been keeping in touch whether it’s playing video games together or just checking up on everybody on a day to day basis. We’re all very excited for when we get the news to start again,” Foreman finished.
