Friday will mark three weeks since 16 members of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team were killed when a semi hit their charter bus near Tisdale, Saskatchewan on April 6th as they traveled to a playoff game. In the days and weeks that followed, millions of dollars were raised both in Canada and here in the U.S. to support the families affected by the tragedy. On Friday, Omaha hopes to add to the total.
The Omaha4Humboldt fundraiser will be held from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Holland Ice at Baxter Arena. The event begins with an open skate from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.. Then at 5:30, several former UNO hockey players will lace up their skates for an alumni game. Following the game a raffle drawing will take place and a closing ceremony.
A number of items will also be up for bids in a silent auction. Those items include a Huskers football autographed by Eric Crouch, Mike Rozier and Johnny Rodgers, tickets to a Chicago Blackhawks-Pittsburgh Penguins game next season in Chicago, UNO Mavericks hockey season tickets, and sticks and other items signed by former UNO players.
Admission to the fundraiser is $5 and skate rental is an additional $3. All proceeds will go towards the families of those affected by the tragic crash. Concessions will be available, but those proceeds will stay with Baxter Arena to offset the cost of donating the ice time for the event.
