Matt Vertin, executive director of the Keweenaw Health Foundation, left, and Kevin Store, executive director of the Portage Health Foundation, present a $5,000 check to Barb Rose from the Hockey for Health event. Rose is the executive director of the Keweenaw Community Foundation, which overseas the Copper Country Junior Hockey Foundation and C-L-K Youth Hockey Foundation. The two youth hockey foundations are splitting the $5,000, which was raised at Hockey for Health.

It’s estimated that about 800 people attended the event, which featured an open skate, community expo and for-fun hockey game featuring employees from Portage Health and Aspirus Keweenaw.

“This was a great collaborative effort,” said Kevin Store, executive director of the Portage Health Foundation. “We had a lot of encouraging feedback and people were really pleased to see our organizations working together for this cause.”
The $5,000 donation will be split evenly between the CHA’s C-L-K Youth Hockey Fund and the Copper Country Youth Hockey Fund, specially allocated for use by the CCJHA.

“The event was extremely successful,” said Vertin. “We couldn’t be happier to make such a large contribution to these organizations.”

The event was on Nov. 10 at Michigan Technological University’s Student Development Complex. More information on the event can be found at hockeyforhealth.com.

Aspirus Keweenaw Roster
#. Name – Department
1. Ryan Patrick (G) – Son of Chris Patrick, Accounting
2. Joe Pini – Home Medical Equipment
3. Craig Plante – Emergency Department Nurse
4. Dave Yeo – Accounting
5. Dr. Steven Woodworth, Physician
6. Ben Gullstrand – Purchasing
7. Mark Niemela – Maintenance
8. Benji Hainault – Radiology
9. Clint Pakkala – Med/Surge Nurse
10. Travis Carney – Spouse of Heidi Carney, Laboratory
11. Buster Roberts – Spouse of Amy Roberts, Outpatient Therapies
12. Matt Vertin – Public Relations
13. Robert Larson – Laboratory
14. John Hendrickson – Spouse of Brenda Hendrickson, Billing
15. Darryl Pierce – Board of Directors
16. Mike Hauswirth – Administration
17. Jeff Baril – Outpatient Therapies
18. Chad Rowe – Human Resources
19. Sam Normand – Spouse of Allison Normand, Clinic Nurse
20. Ashley Bracco (G) – Outpatient Therapies
Head Coach & Trainer – Dorothy Jamison

Portage Health Roster
#. Name – Department
1. Adam Kerry, Sports Medicine Institute
1. Annette Butina, Registration
2. Marty Iskra, Board of Directors
3. Craig Biekkola, Information Technology
4. Alice LaJeunesse, PHMG Administration
5. Rod Paavola, Cancer Care
6. Wendy Hyrkas, Home Health
7. Derek Bustos, Rehabilitation
8. Eric Wehner, Sports Medicine Institute
9. John Jokela, Radiology
10. Glenn Patrick, Facilities
11. Greg Scharf Pulmonary, Rehab
12. Derrick Verran, Radiology
13. Matthew Randell, Sports Medicine Institute
14. Roger Wetelainen, Facilities
15. Sharon Junttila, Laboratory
16. Robert Williams, Inpatient Unit
17. Stephen LaCourt, Laboratory
18. Victor Harrington, Communications
19. Katie Temple, Rehabilitation
20. Mike Babcock, Communications
Head Coach — Mark Randell
Assistant Coach — Mark Pittillo

$5 general admission tickets can be purchased at the Portage Health Café, all Aspirus Keweenaw locations, the Houghton Broadcasting Studio (The Wolf, K-Bear, WCCY) on Montezuma Ave in Houghton, the J&J Broadcasting Studio (Mix 93, WMPL) in downtown Hancock and at The Daily Mining Gazette office.

Everyone 18 and under is free to this event, which is being hosted by the Keweenaw Health Foundation and Portage Health Foundation. All proceeds will go to the two foundations, and the Copper Country Junior Hockey Association and Calumet Hockey Association.

At 6 p.m. attendees are invited to join players from the Michigan Tech hockey team and Finlandia University women’s hockey team for an open skate. A community expo will be available upstairs with dozens of community organizations coming together.

At 7 p.m. the puck will drop with players from each team competing in a for-fun hockey game.

The event will feature teams made up of employees from Aspirus Keweenaw and Portage Health playing a for-fun hockey game to increase awareness of each organization’s foundations and raise money to aid the Copper Country Junior Hockey Association and Calumet Hockey Association.

Gametime is 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. for an open skate with hockey players from Michigan Tech.

“Both of our organizations play a vital role in our community,” said Jim Bogan, president/CEO of Portage Health. “We’re pleased to be able to work together on a project that will benefit the youth in our communities as well as our foundations.”

The family-friendly event is free for children (18 and under) and $5 for adults. The inaugural Hockey for Health will feature a festive atmosphere with games and exhibits scattered throughout the main level.

The Keweenaw Health Foundation, Portage Health Foundation, Copper Country Junior Hockey Association and Calumet Hockey Association will receive proceeds from the event.

“Hockey is a big part of our community and something all of us can come together to celebrate,” said Chuck Nelson, president/CEO of Aspirus Keweenaw. “We’re happy to be supporting the efforts of the hockey associations, who both have pressing needs to keep our area’s youth active and engaged.”

For more information visit Facebook.com/HockeyForHealth.