Pigs-N-Heat hockey game raises thousands of dollars for families in need

Marquette County police officers and firefighters played some hockey Wednesday night for a good cause.

It was the 31st annual Pigs-N-Heat hockey game, an event to raise money for the Pigs-N-Heat Fire Relief Fund to help families displaced by fires.

On average, the fund supports 30 families each year.

Tickets cost only $1, and the game raises about $20,000 for the fund.

“That’s a little more than our expenses, so it’s always nice to have a little bit more (funds) just in case, because you never know year to year what we’re going to come in contact with,” Pigs-N-Heat treasurer Jim Finkbeiner said.  “We’ll spend anywhere between $12,000 and $13,000 on an average year supporting those families, giving them monetary support and putting them up a hotel room for a number of days until they get back on their feet again.”

And even though the game is for charity, there’s still some good natured ‘trash talk’ going on between the Pigs and the Heat.

“There still is a competitive edge, everybody wants to win and no one wants to lose so you’re kind of running that fine line at a competitiveness and fun, so it’s another way to get a little competition and also bragging rights from year to year,” Finkbeiner said.

“We’re all friends, and everybody knows each other, so there’s some lighthearted (trash talk) and even some more stuff we can’t talk about, but even on the ice, you’ll see guys out there right now who they’re talking to–guys on the Pigs are talking to Heat guys and they’re giving it to each other right now before the game.  It’s a lot of fun, all in good fun.”

The Pigs will have bragging rights this year–they won the game 7-1 over the Heat.

If you would like to donate to the Pigs-N-Heat Fire Relief Fund, you can stop by any Marquette County law enforcement agency or visit the fund’s website.