When a skater from the Lethbridge Roller Derby Guild visits the hospital, it’s usually to the emergency department from injuries sustained on the track. But yesterday members were able to visit the Chinook Regional Hospital on much happier tidings.

Through fundraising efforts at their last home game, members of the Guild presented the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation with a cheque for $1000 with those proceeds going to the Jack Ady Cancer Centre.

Also, thanks to fan support, the Guild will be making an additional donation to the Lethbridge Skateboard Association.

“We’re extremely pleased how everyone contributed to the event,” says Martina Emard, aka Cherri Blaster, Vice President of the Lethbridge Roller Derby Guild. “Initially we were taking a portion of the door sales to donate to the Cancer Centre, but then our fans took it to the next level.”

At the ‘Movember Mowdown’ themed roller derby game, Emard and Alaina Wells, aka Kalamity Lain, had planned to cut their ponytails to donate to Locks of Love, an organization that provides wigs to children suffering from medical hair loss. Emard was also accepting bids to have a fan cut off her hair as a fundraiser for the Lethbridge Skateboard Association when Guild member Jessica Lloyd, aka Jesse Dahmer, stepped in and volunteered to shave her head if spectators could raise more money.

“From there everything happened so fast. Fans started passing hats through the crowd and everyone was donating what they could to both causes. In the end we had a very full hat and we were able to donate more than what we anticipated to both the Jack Ady Cancer Centre and the Lethbridge Skateboard Association,” says Emard.

When the dust settled, fan Kevin Braun cut Emard’s ponytails and Calgary Roller Derby Association member Jessie Wilson, who’s currently battling cancer, put the clippers to Lloyd’s locks.

The result from the fundraising event was more than members of the Guild could hope for.

“When we started our league last year it was very important to us that we give back to the community as much as the fans give to us. We have the best support, the best fans in Lethbridge and we look forward to bringing them more events in the future,” says Emard.