TEN-HUT! PLYMOUTH WHALERS MILITARY APPRECIATION WEEKEND COMING

Whalers, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare Systems join forces to aide veterans January 30-31

 Above photo by Rena Laverty – Military veteran Frank Rogers drops the puck during last season’s Military Appreciation Weekend.

PLYMOUTH – The Ontario Hockey League’s Plymouth Whalers have supported the military in a big way over the years and continue the tradition on Friday, January 30 and Saturday, January 31 in the team’s second annual Military Appreciation Weekend at Compuware Arena.

The Whalers will be wearing specially designed jerseys with a military theme against the Belleville Bulls on Fri. Jan. 30 and the Windsor Spitfires on Sat. Jan. 31.  The proceeds of the jerseys will be auctioned off, with Whalers ticket sales over the weekend and 50/50 fundraisers to be donated to VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

On Friday, Jan. 30, the Whalers are teaming up with VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System for a pre-game celebration highlighting benefits veterans can receive at VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, including healthcare information, benefits information and community resources.  The program also offers food and entertainment.  The celebration and resource fair begins at Compuware Arena at 5 pm.

“We’ll have information outlining VA Healthcare benefits,” said Derek Atkinson, public affairs officer with the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, who is also a veteran. “The VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System is affiliated with the University of Michigan, so when you come to the Ann Arbor VA, you know you are getting high-quality healthcare.   If a veteran doesn’t have healthcare, (then) we encourage them to enroll for VA healthcare benefits.

“We’d love the opportunity to be able to serve them.”

  

Veterans participating in the pre-game program receive a free ticket to the Plymouth-Belleville game later that evening. The event is free for the first 250 Veterans and family members to RSVP.  To RSVP, please call Mignon Sizemore at (734) 845-3429 or email her at Mignon.Sizemore@va.gov.

Participating partners with the Whalers in supporting Military Appreciation Night include Xfinity, Foundations for American Veterans, Atlas Oil Company, 99.5 WYCD Detroit’s Country, Farmers Insurance, Pepsi and Bill & Rod’s Appliances.