Pigs-N-Heat set to hit the ice
MARQUETTE — March is known as a big time for basketball, but another popular sport is taking center stage in Marquette Wednesday night.
The Pigs-N-Heat Charity Hockey Game will take place for the 32nd year in a row. The long-running competition pits Marquette area firefighters against police officers for a good cause.
“The proceeds from Pigs-N-Heat go into the fire relief fund,” said City of Marquette Fire Chief Tom Belt. “[The] fire relief fund is set up for families that get burned out in fires, and we put them up for three days free in a hotel — a local hotel — and also each family member gets a check to get clothing and essentials and [to] get them back on their feet after a fire.”
Over $350,000 has been distributed to families in need since the game’s inception. Firefighters and law enforcement from around Marquette County help keep the event exciting year after year.
“It’s a hundred percent participation,” Belt added. “Whether it’s selling tickets, whether it’s skating on the ice, whether it’s providing other entertainments, whether it’s providing prizes, everybody’s in whole hog on this.”
The puck drops at 6:45 p.m. at the Lakeview Arena in Marquette. Tickets are only a dollar, and buying one enters spectators into a raffle for prizes provided by area businesses.