By Scott Lowe – MYHockeyRankings.com

The onset of October often elicits thoughts of cooler weather, ghosts and ghouls and pumpkin spice. For those of us in the hockey world, however, October has become known as the month that saves.

For the last 10 years, North American goalies at all levels have come together to participate in a fundraiser that benefits the continuing fight against breast cancer. Those of us who hang around ice rinks on most fall and winter weekends know that it's almost October Saves time. With October 1 on the horizon, goalies all over the continent are gearing up to assist the fight against a terrible disease that has touched so many of our lives.

October Saves has generated nearly $3.5 million since officially becoming a non-profit organization in 2017, and as the Oct. 1 start to the 2024 campaign looms, the organization hopes to exceed last year's high-water fundraising mark of $650,00. October Saves Founder Lara Hopewell has set this year’s overall fundraising goal at $750,000.

“We always knew that goalies were heroes,” proclaims the organizations website. “The October Saves Goalie Challenge harnesses the power of hockey goalies from mites to pros to fight cancer. Every save made during October becomes a weapon in the battle against this devastating disease by providing vital funding for cancer research and support. As if stopping a puck wasn’t already awesome, now your saves can save lives too.”

For anyone learning about October Saves for the first time, there’s still plenty of time get involved despite the Oct. 1 start date. Any money raised is helpful, so players and families who want to participate can sign up today, tomorrow or at any point during the month.

Those interested in participating can register and find out more by CLICKING HERE. 

“After last year’s 10^th anniversary of the program, we have the same larger beneficiaries as we have in the past, including the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Life with Cancer and Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP),” Hopewell said. “We also still have our program for which states that raise $50,000 receive a $5,000 local donation to a cancer charity in their state. If they raise $100,000, they receive a $10,000 donation to a cancer charity in their state. Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York all went over the $50,000 mark last year, with Virginia and New Jersey surpassing $50,000.”

Canadian goalies at all levels also are encouraged to participate. Last year, Canada’s netminders generated $35,000.

“Last year's top overall fundraiser once again was Ike Cole of the Loudoun Knights, who has raised about $60,000 in five years to honor his mom Traci, who has fought cancer and won three times,” said Hopewell. “Our No. 2 fundraiser was a first-time participant, Andrew Genest of Caps Hockey Academy, who participated in memory of his mom. She passed away in September 2023 and was a big hockey fan, so this was an incredible way to honor her.”

CLICK HERE to read more about Ike Cole and his mom Traci.

Three years ago, October Saves added the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in New England as one of the program’s beneficiaries, which “really motivated our goalies in New England,” according to Hopewell. For the 2023 fundraiser, the Canadian Cancer Society was added to the beneficiary list.

 “All funds in Canada go directly to CCS, and no Canadian-generated funds will leave the country. This is awesome, because CCS can put the funds to work all over the country.”

The Farber Institute’s Jimmy Fund is well known throughout New England and spurred participation in that region, and the Canadian Cancer Society joined other similar programs in benefitting from the efforts of North American Hockey goalies. October Saves also is aligned with organizations in the United States such as the Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Virginia, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Life With Cancer.

Some changes to the program that were necessitated when many rinks were shut down and seasons were delayed during the COVID-19 outbreak have helped October Saves attract even more participants and allowed the program to soar well beyond the $600,000 annual fundraising threshold. Those additions have become permanent components of the October Saves fundraising efforts.

In 2020, many teams were not able to practice or play games in October because of local restrictions, and amateur hockey was pretty much shut down in Canada. But where there's a will, there's a way, and all it took was a little creativity to maintain the momentum October Saves had built. 

Thanks to an "All Saves, One Goal" campaign, October Saves was able to raise more than $400,000 that year and then eclipse the $600,000 mark in 2021. "All Saves, One Goal" simply means that any save made by any goalie anywhere during the month of October counts toward the fundraising efforts. Whether goalies are playing street hockey with their friends, practicing, playing in organized games or in front of their TVs playing video games, any time they stop a puck they are helping fight breast cancer. 

“We definitely attribute our success that year and the phenomenal recent growth we’ve experienced to the ‘All Saves, One Goal’ campaign since it removed all barriers to making saves for our participants and their families,” Hopewell said.

Keeping that "All Saves, One Goal" approach in place also has allowed goalies in areas of the country where games don't start until November to participate. That means goaltenders in the United States hockey hotbed of Minnesota and New England Prep School goalies can be part of the fundraising efforts. Even goalies who play other sports such as field hockey, soccer and lacrosse can participate.

“'All Saves, One Goal' is here to stay," Hopewell said a couple years ago. “It was so successful that first year, and it allows more players to participate, so why not? We love our NHL video-gamer army, which has showed up in force, too."

October Saves also partners with The Goalie Guild and Goalie Guild Gaming, which has helped keep the E-goalie donations flowing. Goalie Guild Gaming is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the growth of NHL E-sports by “offering education, training, and mentoring opportunities for goalies of all ages and levels.”

A longtime supporter of the October Saves program, The Goalie Guild has held an online streaming event on Twitch to benefit October Saves and coincide with the annual launch of EA Sports’ NHL video game. Gamers who live anywhere have been afforded the opportunity to count virtual saves toward their fundraising goals.

“The Goalie Guild is also partnering again this year to provide cool prizes for our top fundraising goalie each week,” Hopewell added, “And they plan to pop in with some other great prizes as the month goes on.”

Initially founded in 2014 with all 28 of the goalies in the Ashburn (Va.) Xtreme youth hockey program participating, October Saves expanded into Canada six years ago and has continued growing since then. That first year, Ashburn’s goalies raised $32,000 on their own.

The numbers improved substantially in year two, with NHL goaltending coach Mitch Korn donating a spot in one of his goalie camps as a prize, and eventually the Chesapeake Bay Hockey League, which includes pretty much all Tier 2 youth travel programs in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, began supporting the program. Then USA Hockey got on board.

The addition of new prizes for the top fundraisers annually, along with the ability for clubs to support their goalies’ fundraising efforts, also has helped grow the numbers. The addition of the Farber Institute's Jimmy Fund as a beneficiary provided a boost as well.

"We know that many of our fundraisers in New England are personally inspired to fundraise for the Jimmy Fund," Hopewell said. 

Keeping the program fresh by adding creative twists and new, exciting prizes each year – while also making it simple and easy for goalies to participate – has been another key to October Saves' continued growth and success. The program provides a fully functional website that allows participants to promote their efforts and manages their donations.

Not long ago, October Saves made it even easier for goalies to raise money by allowing them to form teams so they could fundraise as a group. Teams are given the ability to register and add their registered goalies, with the October Saves website tracking the group’s performance.

That creative team approach grew in popularity in 2023 and continues to be pushed this year. Last year, a new prize was introduced for the top-fundraising team; Mitch Korn visited them for a “Fireside Chat” event.

“The Fireside Chat was a huge success and a very special experience for the team winner, Team Ion from Virginia,” Hopewell said. “Mitch surprised the goalies and brought Stanley Cup-winning goalie Braden Holtby and Washington Capitals Goaltending Coach Scott Murray.”

The chat is being offered as a prize once again this year. It will be held in the team’s community, and team members are allowed to invite whoever they want, including coaches, fellow cub goalies, hockey teammates and family members.

“Mitch is such an incredible wealth of knowledge and a super entertaining speaker, so this is a great opportunity for a hockey community,” Hopewell said. “We are really encouraging teams to sign up. A team can be goalies from a club, a bunch of friends, an organization or even a goalie school. Any group of goalies who wants to fight cancer together can form a team. It's always more fun and effective to raise funds together.”

Korn has been one of the program’s biggest supporters for many years. Two years ago, October Saves renamed the Mitch Korn Camp Scholarship it awards annually in honor of Charlie Capalbo, a young goalie who lost his fight with cancer.

“He fought cancer multiple times,” Hopewell recalled, “and was a dedicated goalie who worked Mitch’s camps. Mitch grew very close to the family, and we were excited to offer the scholarship in his name.”

This year, the top-five fundraisers in each country once again will be awarded brand new goalie gear, including a mask, skates, catching glove, blocker, stick and leg pads. And as usual, there will be a variety of milestone fundraising prizes goalies can earn as their fundraising dollars increase. Additional milestone prizes for this year include an October Saves hoodie, a bucket hat and a jersey that can be personalized.

“Our incentive prizes change every year, and this year we are super excited to unveil our new jersey design, which includes an area on the back that goalies can customize in honor and memory of the people they are making saves for,” Hopewell said. “We are also excited to partner with InGoal Magazine. They are offering a free one-month subscription to anyone who signs up. On top of that, when anyone signs up for a full subscription before the month ends, 50 percent of that money will go directly to October Saves – and we will give them fundraising credit for that money.”

A free week at the well-known Korn Camp for goalies once again will be raffled off. All goalies who raise at least $1,700 are entered into the raffle.

In recent years, National Hockey League teams and goalies have gotten involved to help promote October Saves. That will continue in 2024.

“The Washington Capitals have invited the top-10 fundraisers in the DMV to their Hockey Fights Cancer Night and a meet and greet with their goalies after the game,” Hopewell said. “The Philadelphia Flyers will also be inviting some top of the top Pennsylvania fundraisers to their Hockey Fight Cancer Night with a special fan experience, and the New Jersey Devils plan to do the same again this year. We are so thankful for all their support.”

We all are very well aware that the North American hockey community is undefeated, and the number of touching stories the October Saves program brings to light every year – and the fervor with which hockey families rally behind such an important cause – makes the program special and unique.

October Saves runs throughout the month of October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and there still is time to sign up and join the goalies all over North America who continue the fight against this terrible disease.

Anyone interested in participating can register and find out more by CLICKING HERE.