Ahead of Remembrance Day weekend, the Vancouver Giants will be donning commemorative Vimy Ridge themed jerseys when they take the ice against the Kamloops Blazers on Friday and Saturday.
As is the case with many of their customized jerseys, the Langley-based team will then auction off these uniforms to raise money for a worthy cause.
This time out, said Giants senior vice-president Dale Saip, the money will go to the Vimy Foundation.
“It’s very important for the Giants and for the WHL as a whole to pay our respects to those who have fought and those who continue to fight for our daily freedoms,” Saip said, explaining that the jerseys are just part of the efforts being made Friday – during their at home game – to pay their respects.
“Additionally we’re going to have a Sopwith Camel replica plane on display outside the Langley Events Centre and author Warren Sommer, who wrote Canucks in Khaki, will be on the concourse selling and signing copies of his book,” Saip explained.
READ ABOUT SOMMER’S BOOK: Tracing Langley’s legacy of the Great War
READ MORE ABOUT SOMMER: Timely Great War exhibit in Langley opens to full house
The wartime aircraft that will be on display Friday night at the arena is a replicas created by volunteers at the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley. It was one of two war planes built by a team at the museum, which this past April was transported over to France to be part of the Battle of Vimy Ridge 100th anniversary ceremonies.
READ: TODAY: Vimy Ridge pilots and crew prep for anniversary
READ MORE ABOUT THE SOPWITHS: Langley biplanes head to France
READ MORE: VIDEO: Test flight over Langley grounds Vimy replicas temporarily
READ EVEN MORE: UPDATED: Sopwith Pup “Betty” arrives back in Langley
As for the game-worn jerseys, they will be available for purchase via online auction. And that auction began this morning (Tuesday).
The auction ends at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 7th. People can click here to place a bid.
The next game is Friday, Nov. 3 at Langley Events Centre starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for Friday’s game are available online. On Saturday, the Giants will again play the Blazers, but they’ll be in Kamloops.
• Stay tuned to the Langley Advance for coverage of the games