• On Friday, March 8 the Grand Rapids Griffins host their second annual Purple Community Hockey Game to benefit the Van Andel Institute.

• When fans arrive for the 7 p.m. game against the Hamilton Bulldogs, they'll notice a host of purple touches throughout the arena.

• Purple Jerseys, worn by Griffins players, will be auctioned to the public in the Fifth Third Bank Vault restaurant after the game, with proceeds benefitting Van Andel Institute. 

• We are giving away 10,000 Purple Community t-shirts when fans arrive.

• This year the Griffins will feature purple concession items such as cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn and cupcakes.

• Seventeen-year-old Haley Gort, cancer warrior from Caledonia, MI will drop the ceremonial puck before the game.

• Haley is a cancer survivor, avid basketball player and member of Purple Community.

• The puck drop is a ceremonial activity we started last year to honor those who are affected by cancer and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

• A salute to cancer survivors will take place during the first intermission.

How can fans support cancer research at Van Andel Institute?

• Fans who would like to attend the game can order their tickets online at griffinshockey.com and use a special promotional code that will allocate 3 dollars of the ticket price to Van Andel Institute, to benefit disease research and science education.

• The promo code for the March 8 game is VAI.

• One hundred percent of the funds raised through the Griffins' Purple Community Game will go directly to laboratory research and science education at VAI.

• If you know someone who is fighting cancer or a neurodegenerative disease, come out to the Purple Game on March 8 and join Purple Community. 

 
For more information: www.griffinshockey.com