The Carlton Crusaders will be donning their pink jerseys for Thursday's game. (Twitter/PACarlton)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

The big pink game

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Jan 21, 2020 | 12:00 PM

The Carlton Crusaders senior girl’s basketball team is ready to take to the court to support a local cause.

Thursday evening at Carlton Comprehensive High School the Crusaders will welcome the Melfort Comets to town for the Carlton Crushes Cancer fundraiser. Leading up to the match-up the high school has been working to raise money for the Victoria Hospital Foundation.

Kelsey Pearson, the coach of the Carlton senior girl’s basketball team, said they don’t have a set goal in terms of fundraising, but are just looking to raise as much as possible.

“All of the money is going to the palliative care,” she said.

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The Carlton team will be wearing pink jerseys. Last year the game was hosted by Ecole St. Mary High School and saw over $90,000 raised to buy new CAD pumps for the Victoria Hospital.

The pink jersey game has become an important tradition in the community with the visiting team becoming the host team the following year with a new opponent invited. Pearson said so far they have been getting good support with many people and organizations stepping forward for the effort.

“I cannot thank this community enough,” she said.

Pearson said as game day has drawn closer, she has noticed how much people from the Victoria Hospital appreciate what the team is doing. She added members of the team have also been going out to businesses to raise funds for the game.

“It has become so much more than a basketball game to all of them,” she said.

Grade 12 student and Crusaders point guard Gage Grassick said she is looking forward to Thursday’s contest, and to hearing what the grand total raised will be.

“We have done all this work, our community has done so much to help us,” she said.

Last year Grassick was part of the team which took part in the game at St. Mary. She explained being the host team provides a different experience as they took the lead in doing the fundraising along with organizing the evening.

“We get to do our personal touch on it this year,” she said.

The action is set to tip off at 7 p.m. Thursday at Carlton. Fans will be asked to pay a $5 admission, there will also be a silent auction along with a raffle and 50/50. Pearson said they are hoping to draw a large crowd.

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn