When Jim Culhane of Kalamazoo, Michigan, went to see a hockey game in Toronto last spring, he had no idea that what he would see would have such an impact. Sitting there with his brother, Jim watched as the burly hockey players filled Ricoh Coliseum with pink lace and tape on their sticks. "That visual stuck with me throughout summer and the more I thought about [it], I wanted to get involved," said Jim.

And that’s exactly what he did. Jim is the head coach for the Bronco hockey team of Western Michigan University (WMU), and last October, WMU and ACS Colleges Against Cancer founded Hockey Cares. "[Hockey Cares] is an event that we have coordinated with the hockey program to raise money for our local chapter of the American Cancer Society," said Jim. "We want to show that here in southwest Michigan, with all our corporate sponsors, our fans, and the hockey community, we are real caring and vibrant, and we want to do something for the community."

The four-day Hockey Cares event started Thursday, February 7, at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo. The entire community was invited to skate with the Bronco players, purchase luminaria, and learn about the American Cancer Society. On February 8, the Bronco Hockey team took on the Lake Superior State University Lakers and the championship game took place February 9. Throughout the event, luminaria were sold in the lobby, along with pink lapel ribbons and special custom-made hockey pucks.

Saturday, February 9, was also the Hockey Cares special game night. The arena was lit up with luminaria to remember loved ones lost to cancer and to honor those battling cancer and survivors of cancer. All the Bronco players wore pink lace and tape on their black uniforms, and pink stickers on their helmets. They also had custom-made pink and purple hockey sticks with cancer ribbons on them. The custom-made hockey sticks were individually signed by the players and are currently being auctioned off online.

The Bronco synchronized skating team performed before the game and then took to the stands to collect donations while handing out 3,500 pink Hockey Cares t-shirts to fans. Even "Puck Boy," the team mascot, was sporting a giant cancer ribbon.

All the while, a Hockey Cares youth tournament was also taking place, ending with the championship game on Sunday. "Every kid playing in the youth tournament [got] the pink laces and pink tape," said Jim. "Part of the entry fee for the tournament will also come back to the Hockey Cares program."

Even though there was no real expectation in the fundraising aspect as this was the first year, the event was a success, raising almost $8,000 for the American Cancer Society. Jim said Hockey Cares will be an annual event.

"Everybody at some point in their life is impacted in some way by the disease. For me personally, this [is] a way to do something to battle the disease."

To get involved with Colleges Against Cancer, call your American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345.

Pictured: Luminaria surrounding the Lawson Ice Arena (top right); Coach Jim Culhane and the Bronco team (bottom).