Peterborough Petes Host To Auction Special Jerseys For Pride Night This Saturday

Rainbows are filling the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC) this Saturday as the Peterborough Petes and Sport A Rainbow are hosting Pride Night with a specially-designed jersey auction announced on Thursday.

Peterborough Petes staff, Scotiabank representatives and Rose Powers (third from left) unveiling the pride jersey. Scotiabank is primary sponsor of Pride night for Saturday’s game. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The Petes are wearing the jerseys in support of the 2SLGBTQI+ community at Saturday’s game. All proceeds of the jersey auctions go towards Sport A Rainbow and take place in the PMC lobby after the game.

Rose Powers, operator and founder of Sport A Rainbow helped design the jersey that includes waved flags by a silhouetted crowd on the bottom. She said that the plan for the jersey was not to just have rainbow colours but to be able to tell a story.

“The first thing I thought of was flags because people who want to feel included in part of the 2SLGBTQI+ community, they also want to have their own representation,” said Powers. “The two-spirit Indigenous queer flag is the beginning of that. It actually was here before we had our traditional Pride flag. We want to make sure youth know that they're seen, you're recognized and we're standing with you.”

Sport A Rainbow strives to encourage everyone to be respectful and kind to each other in spite of anyone’s differences according to a press release.

“I think that visibility is so important and I love that the Petes are willing to stand up and make change,” said Powers. “I hope that everybody comes out to see what the Petes have done to make this an important and Prideful night.”

The Petes Pride Night game is Saturday against the Niagara IceDogs at 7:05 p.m.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here.

Trailblazing Peterborough Lakers Organization Sport A Rainbow On Their Helmets During Mann Cup

Laker helmet (picture via Sport a Rainbow Facebook page)

Peterborough-based Sport A Rainbow, a movement where athletes, coaches, support staff and competitors take a pledge to stand up against hurtful speech and actions in their sport, has a huge supporter in the Peterborough Lakers.

Indeed, the Lakers have taken the Sport A Rainbow Pledge and will be sporting the Inclusion For All Logo on their helmets during the 2018 Mann Cup in Peterborough.

"I approached the Captain of the Lakers Robert Hope and he was very open to supporting Sport A Rainbow and Inclusion in Sport," Sport A Rainbow founder Rose Powers tells PTBOCanada. "From there, I spoke with Paul Day (Lakers GM) and Bill Joiner (Lakers Chairman). Both men were very open to the Lakers leading the way on Inclusion in Sport."

Lakers captain Robert Hope (picture via Sport A Rainbow Facebook page)

Powers considers the Lakers organization trailblazers for wearing these on their helmet, and showing their commitment to speaking out against hateful and derogatory speech in all sports. Indeed, the Lakers are taking a major stand on being inclusive by supporting Sport A Rainbow.

Powers hopes Sport A Rainbow Pledge cards will catch on with many sports teams far and wide. They are ready to be distributed to individuals or teams, and their logo sticker is CSA approved for helmets.

picture via Sport A Rainbow Facebook page)

After taking the pledge, the Inclusion in Sport Sticker logo can be placed on a helmet, stick or uniform. A percentage of all sales from Sport A Rainbow merchandise goes towards helping youth register in a sport they may not have been able to otherwise.

Visit sportarainbow.ca to order your Sport A Rainbow Pledge cards and stickers or email here for more information.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.