The Sudbury Wolves’ new indigenous jersey has much more to offer than just a flashy design: the new blue, white and red sweater that the OHL club unveiled on Thursday is an eye-catcher.
Wolves owner Dario Zulich joined Jordan Assinewe, director of network relations and fitness promotion at the Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre, at the Sudbury Community Arena to announce the highlights of the pack’s second annual Indigenous Night at their game against the Kitchener Rangers on Saturday.
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The new jerseys, designed by Indigenous artist Raven Debassige and SKHC creative director Melanie Laquerre, will be worn by Sudbury players before being auctioned online, with proceeds going to Shkagamik-Kwe.
“This year’s jersey is a concept that is based on last year’s jersey,” Assinewe explained at a press conference on Thursday morning. “This year’s design emphasizes the color red, which represents the south gate of our medicine wheel, as well as the teachings that come with it: teachings of growth, teachings of empathy, and it symbolizes passion. “
It also has the wolf logo, he said, which represents one of the seven teachings of grandparents, namely humility.
“Behave proudly, arrogantly, and with modesty and humility with yourself,” Assiweve added.
He expects Wolves to be as proud to wear their shirts next Saturday as they did in the 3-2 win over the Windsor Spitfires on the inaugural Indian Night last season.
“Indigenous Night is a celebration,” Assinewe said. “Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre is honoured to partner with the Sudbury Wolves organization again. With our collective efforts towards reconciliation, we celebrate the resiliency of Indigenous people in our community, in our nation and on Turtle Island. We celebrate the positive steps we have made toward reconciliation, we celebrate the partnerships we’ve made along the way and it’s our duty to celebrate the similarities and differences amongst all people for future generations.”
Zulich said collaboration between wolves and indigenous communities is based on “mutual respect, shared values and a commitment to celebrating the varied cultures” of those communities.
“It’s more than just a celebration,” Zulich continued. “It’s going to be a commitment to say it’s going to be a 30-year culture and we have to do it every year, bigger and bigger every year.
“I’m looking forward to Saturday’s game. Let’s make sure we celebrate the beauty and the wisdom of the Indigenous cultures with joy and happiness.”
T-shirts with the new logo will also be available for purchase at the team’s merchandise store and online at www. greatergames. ca, with proceeds going toward the game and Indigenous welfare.
More than $5,000 raised last year thanks to the combined sale of T-shirts and jerseys.
“It’s great for us to do that this year,” said Wolves captain David Goyette, who joined teammates Quentin Musty, Nolan Collins and Andre Anania to reveal the jerseys Thursday.
“Last year we won, and it was wonderful to achieve that victory with the indigenous communities there. Working in partnership with them is a smart thing to do and helping a wonderful cause is also vital to us.
After a series of sold-out games on Friday, the Wolves noticed the number of members of the indigenous network in those competitions.
“They’re coming out and helping us every night to win,” Goyette said. “We feel their presence in the crowd with us, so it’s important for us to give back to their community and to help them, to let them know we’re here and we’re supporting them.”
Saturday’s game will be sponsored by Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services and marks the only visit to Sudbury this season by Kitchener, the top team in the Western Conference. Two local Indigenous youth will take part in a ceremonial puck drop.
Before hosting the Rangers, the Wolves will host the Brantford Bulldogs on Friday. Brantford also had a solid first half and tied Eastern Conference leader Sudbury on 41 points before a stopover in the North Bay on Thursday night.
Both at the Sudbury Community Arena will take place at 7:05 p. m. Departures.
The online jersey auction begins Saturday at 6 p. m. m. For more information on how to bid, visit www. sudburywolves. com.
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