Two Canadian winter traditions – hockey and skiing – will be combined in a fundraiser for the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.
Slice the Ice for a Cause, organized by the Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation, includes two events, On the Slopes for Candy and the inaugural Hockey Night in Toronto.
NHL alumnus Darryl Sittler will play in a special daytime exhibition hockey game on Jan. 27 with the top 20 Hockey Night in Toronto online fundraisers. Afterward, Sittler will party with guests at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. To play, fundraisers must bring in at least $2,500 individually or $25,000 as a team of 10.
“Having the chance to play hockey with Darryl Sittler is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said event co-chair Lawrence Mandel. “Both my co-chair, Jordan Black, and I are very excited about this new event.”
Guests at Hockey Night in Toronto will enjoy kosher appetizers and desserts with an open bar. There will be prizes, a silent auction and gifts, together with entertainment and interactive games.
Online fundraisers who bring in a minimum of $1,000 will receive a free ticket to party at Hockey Night in Toronto and a free ticket to ski at On the Slopes for Candy on Jan. 31 at the Alpine Ski Club in Collingwood, Ont. Those who raise at least $500 will get a free ticket to one of the events. Other fundraising incentives include a team photo, personalized autographs and photos with Sittler.
On the Slopes for Candy is a fun-filled day of skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing, with spa services available for non-skiers. Guests will be driven on a luxury coach to Collingwood, and there will be Scotch tasting and a frozen vodka bar.
On the Slopes was renamed in memory of Candy Schaffel Black, who died after a long battle with cancer. On the Slopes for Candy has raised more than $500,000 since its inception. In 2012, over $75,000 was raised, with proceeds going toward the purchase of an incubator and cardiac monitor to support high-risk infants in the neonatal intensive care unit at Shaare Zedek.
Proceeds from Slice the Ice for a Cause will be used for critically needed medical equipment for the neonatal unit at Shaare Zedek. Approximately five per cent of the 15,000 babies born at Shaare Zedek need intensive medical supervision and treatment provided by the neonatal unit.
Shaare Zedek is in the final stage of a $60-million campaign to complete the construction of the New Generation Building. The building will house a world-class facility to serve the health-care needs of women and children.
Known as the Hospital with a Heart, Shaare Zedek relies on donors around the world, as it does not receive government support for education, equipment or research.
For tickets or for more information about Slice the Ice for a Cause, visit www.slicetheice.ca.