Contributed by Valley Medical Center

RENTON, WA (November 7, 2012)—High-risk women in need will receive mammograms thanks to a partnership between Valley Medical Center’s GLOW program and The Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team. Now in its second year, “Pink the Rink” raised more than $15,000 for Valley’s Breast Center to provide 100 life-saving mammograms and breast education for disadvantaged women.

Held at ShoWare Center in Kent, WA, the hockey ice was literally turned pink for this special event to draw awareness to breast cancer. A free, pre-game party on the plaza had attendees dancing to the retro tunes of “Mr. Pink,” children bounced and slid on assorted inflatables, and special vendor booths raised money for breast cancer research through sales of pink cowboy hats and other assorted items. Breast cancer survivors at the event were given free pink camouflage bandanas. During the exciting game between the Seattle Thunderbirds and Kamloops Blazers, T-birds members applied pink tape to their sticks, wore pink laces in their boots and sported pink ribbon decals on their helmets in support. The crowd watched a special GLOW Flash Mob strut their stuff at half time, led by 100.7 The Wolf’s DeAnna Lee, and three lucky spectators had the chance to win a pink-striped Mini Cooper through a hockey shoot out.

“One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Until that number is zero, we will continue the fight to eradicate this terrible disease,” says Sherry Kuzan, RN, Manager, The Breast Center at Valley Medical Center. “Mammograms are key to early detection, and for women who are high-risk it’s critical. The money raised at Pink the Rink will ensure that 100 women will not have to wonder and worry about their breast health. We can’t thank the community enough for coming out and showing their support.”

The event would not have been possible without the generous support from Seattle Thunderbirds, ShoWare Center, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, the event’s Pink Panther Partner, and Northwest Mini. 

For more information about The Breast Center at Valley Medical Center, or to schedule your mammogram visit valleymed.org/breastcenter.

by Brooke Blozis

The Seattle Thunderbirds are back and ready for another hockey season! Before the 2012-2013 season, there will be a six game exhibition round, and the season is scheduled to begin afterward. The preseason exhibition begins on August 31, when the Thunderbirds play at the Everett Tournament. The official season’s schedule was released on Friday, June 27.

Here’s the preseason schedule:

Friday, August 31 vs. Portland, 3 p.m. at Everett Tournament
Sunday, September 2 vs. Spokane, 3 p.m. at Everett Tournament
Friday, September 7 @ Tri-City, 7 p.m. at Tri-City Tournament
Saturday, September 8 @ Portland, 3 p.m. at Tri-City Tournament
Friday, September 14 vs. Everett, 7:35 p.m. at ShoWare Center
Saturday, September 15 @ Everett, 7:05 p.m. at Comcast Arena

In a December 23 press release from the Seattle Thunderbirds, T-Birds fan learn that the their favorite WHL team will be televised four times on FSN Northwest. Air dates include:

2009-10 T-Birds on FSN Northwest Broadcast Schedule
Game 1 – Friday, January 8, 2010 – Everett @ Seattle, 9:30pm
Game 5 – Friday, January 29, 2010 – Seattle @ Spokane, 7:00pm
Game 6 – Friday, February 5, 2010 – Seattle @ Portland, 7:30pm
Game 9* – Friday, March 5, 2010 – Seattle @ Kelowna, 7:00pm

For more information about the Seattle T-Birds, including game times and tickets, visit their website.

If you haven’t been to ShoWare Center yet or to a Seattle Thunderbirds game, you are missing a world-class facility and a fun night out. If you have a group of 10 or more, you can get $6 off each ticket for the T-Birds home games on 12/27 and 12/30. Just call the box office at 253-239-7825 for more info.

T-Birds October Promotional Schedule – The month is full of ticket specials and giveaways!

With hockey season off and running the T-Birds have several exciting promotional nights during the month of October. Every game is highlighted by a fan give away or special ticket offer. The promotional schedule is as follows:

Friday, October 2 vs. Tri-City – Pub Night Sunday
Sunday, October 11 vs. Tri-City – Kent Reporter Family Pack
Tuesday, October 13 vs. Prince Albert – 2-for- Tuesdays
Saturday, October 17 vs. Prince George – Calvin Pickard Jersey T-Shirt Night (first 1,000 kids)
Friday, October 23 vs. Brandon – T-Birds License Plate Holder (first 3,000 fans)

This Friday Pub Night gives fans the opportunity to bring a group of 10 friends to the game and get 10 tickets and 10 beers for just $180. Call the T-Birds today to setup your Pub Night Group.

On October 11th the Kent Reporter Family Pack gives fans a chance to bring the family out to the game and get 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, and 4 drinks for just $48.

The promo schedule continues on October 13th when the T-Birds will have their first 2-for-Tuesdays. During this game fans can get 2 tickets for the price of one. In addition all concession stands will have $2 hot dogs, $2 soft drinks, $2 popcorn, and $2 beers.

The month wraps up with back to back give away nights. The first being October 17th when the first 1,000 kids will take home a Calvin Pickard Jersey T- Shirt. The following Friday, October 23, the first 3,000 fans will receive a Thunderbirds license plate holder.

For tickets to these games, as well as any future T- Birds game, can purchased online at seattlethunderbirds.com or at the ShoWare Center Box Office. If you have any questions feel free to call the T-Birds at 253-239-PUCK.

Last Saturday my husband and I attended the pre-season opener between the Seattle Thunderbirds and Everett Silvertips (that’s hockey for those who don’t follow the sport). I was disappointed in the small community turnout (maybe 300 attendees), but we had a great time watching the game and cheering on our TBirds. The venue was beautiful and our seats were great (Thanks, Libby!), so we had fun.

After hearing the buzz about the TBirds and Silvertips season opener last night, I knew I had to go to the game. Jim was working, so I took my teen daughter to the game after she announced, “I love hockey!” Despite my disbelief, I took her to the game and we were thrilled to see the great turnout. The house wasn’t packed, but the majority of the seats were filled and the community spirit was in the air. We participated in the chuck-a-puck contest and the 50/50 drawing. We didn’t win either, but had a good time trying.

It helped the mood, of course, that the TBirds won 4 to 3, but it was the atmosphere and camaraderie we most enjoyed. It was fun to cheer on our team and, quite frankly, to watch the fans…the disinterested, the die-hards, the Tweeters among us and more. Read the full run down of the game here.

There are 36 home games this season. If you have the chance, I hope you’ll go out to the ShoWare Center to support the team. It is a fun, affordable night out for the whole family…and so close to home!

Go TBirds – you rock!!!

Now through the end of April, the new Thunderbird History Exhibit is on display at the Kent Historical Museum. The exhibit features photos, hockey items and ephemera—a historic timeline takes you back to the roots of hockey in Seattle—1915. Open Wed-Sat, 12-4pm, admission by donation.

For more information, visit www.kenthistoricalmuseum.org.

Kent Historical Society
855 E. Smith St.
Kent, WA  98030
253-854-4330

Following its March 14 article on an all-girl Lingerie Football team coming to the  ShoWare Center on Sept. 11, Kent Reporter readers are in an uproar. Angry locals wrote to the paper, filling the entire Opinion page of the March 18, 2009 edition. Men and women alike protested the ShoWare Center’s decision to host appropriately-padded-but-skantily-clad female footballers in Kent’s newest community event venue.

I respect the opinions of those who wrote in, including those whose letters weren’t printed, pro or con. Each reader/writer is within his or her rights to publicly speak about their distaste toward Lingerie Football and to tell others it is unwelcome in Kent. Personally, I don’t care if we have Lingerie Football here or not. However, I do feel strongly enough about this issue to make a few key points:

• Opponents to Lingerie Football and their families are not required to buy tickets, attend the event or support it in any way.
• The ShoWare Center is a fully-enclosed arena, so events are typically closed to those without tickets.
• Proponents of the sport are welcome to buy tickets, attend and cheer on their favorite teams.
• The players have on more clothing than many other widely-televised TV programs including some Olympic sports.
• The lingerie-wearing female footballers are playing voluntarily. They tried out for the team to play football.
• Some argue that this activity demeans women. I see it differently; I see empowered women who found a way to play football. If they don’t want to play in their underwear, they don’t have to.
• We all have a right to our own opinions and to participate in and attend events that we enjoy. If you don’t like Lingerie Football, hockey or home and garden shows, stay home and be glad that you live in a country that does not dictate what you can and cannot enjoy as a leisure activity.

With that said, I don’t expect my rant here to be popular, nor do I expect to sway anyone who feels strongly about this issue. Rather, I hope you’ll consider and respect each other’s opposing views. In other words, live and let live…with lingerie or without.

~ Dana Neuts

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Seattle Thunderbirds’ inaugural season at Showare Center.  The regular season may be over but the playoffs are starting to heat up.  Games 3 and 4 of our first round playoff series with a yet unnamed opponent are schedule for Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.  As a “Thank You” to our fans, we would like to offer the following ticket specials.

1. Buy 10 tickets to one game (either game is fine)

a. $4 discount per ticket

b. 2 free tickets (you would get 12 tickets for $200)

c. No service fees

d. Group Recognition on the video board

2. Buy 10 tickets and split them between both games

a. $4 discount

b. No service fees

c. The flexibility to pick how many tickets to each game you would like

From Ian Henry of the Seattle Thunderbirds

T-BIRDS 2009 PLAYOFF TICKETS GO ON SALE MARCH 11

Games 3 and 4 of first round series will be at ShoWare Center on March 24 and 25

Kent, March 10, 2009 – Tickets to the Seattle Thunderbirds first round playoff series of the 2009 WHL Playoffs will go on sale Wednesday, March 11, at 10 a.m.

The T-Birds will play Games 3 and 4 of their first round playoff series at ShoWare Center on Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, against an opponent to be determined. Game time is 7:05 p.m. for both games.

Playoff tickets will be available for purchase online at www.seattlethunderbirds.com or at the ShoWare Center box office. Playoff ticket prices for the first round are $18 and $24.

The T-Birds are currently in sixth place in the Western Conference playoff standings. They are one point behind the Kamloops Blazers for fifth place with one game in hand. The T-Birds are eight points ahead of the Everett Silvertips, who are in seventh place, and both teams have four games remaining.

While the T-Birds are looking to finish as high as fifth in the Western Conference, the Spokane Chiefs and Kelowna Rockets, possible first round opponents, are separated by one point in their battle for third place in the Western Conference standings.

The T-Birds first round opponent, and dates of Games 1 and 2 of the series, might not be determined until the final game of the regular season, on March 15 against the Silvertips.

All rounds of the 2009 WHL Playoffs are a best-of- seven format.

The T-Birds have four regular season games left, the next coming on Wednesday, March 11, when they face the Prince George Cougars at ShoWare Center at 7:05 p.m.

Seattle Thunderbirds
Ian Henry
Director, Public & Media Relations
email:  ianh@seattlethunderbirds.com
phone:  253-239-7825

With much anticipation, Kent’s new ShoWare Center on James Street opens Friday, January 2 with a Grand Opening Celebration from 4 to 9 p.m.

Starting the following day, Saturday, January 3, the Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team will make the ShoWare Center their new home.

For event dates, times and more, visit the ShoWare Center online.