UPDATE: If you are wondering where we will be in the parade, we are float number 19, though, I am sure it will be tough to miss us!!
We are proud to announce the Chicago Gay Hockey Association will be accompanied by Chicago Blackhawks’ Brent Sopel and the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup in this Annual Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday, June 27!
Due to the historical nature of this event, there is now a space limitation on the number of participants allowed to skate or walk alongside the CGHA float and open participation is no longer valid. We apologize for the inconvenience, however, please note that we strongly encourage those interested in participating, to sign up at http://chicagogayhockey.org/stanley-cup/. If selected, an official confirmation email along with specific details will be sent by Friday (6/25) evening.
We are very thrilled and honored to have Brent Sopel and the Stanely Cup as part of the CGHA’s pride presence and we encourage everyone to share with us in celebration all weekend long. The CGHA will have a booth set up at Pride Fest on both Friday and Saturday with an opportunity for fans to enter a raffle to win an autographed Brent Sopel, Blackhawks’ jersey! Be sure to stop by and show us your support and don’t forget to shout extra loud when we skate by WITH THE STANLEY CUP!
Thank you!
Chicago Gay Hockey Association
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sneed/2417426,CST-NWS-SNEED22.article
This is great news! Congrats! I am so proud to be a Chicagoan, Blackhawks Fan!, and supporter of the LGBT community! Although not gay myself, I am a firm believer in equal rights for all, and as a amateur hockey player, HOCKEY FOR ALL!
i feel your Chicagoan pride. I wish my team, the Isles would do same for me. I’m not American, but still I’ve been an Isles fan since Chico Resch’s days there.
This is beyond awesome! As a lesbian and a huge fan of the Blackhawks (and hockey in general), I can’t express how proud I am of Sopel, his family, and the Blackhawks organization. Bravo to the CGHA for asking, and to the Hawks for accepting the invitation. As a recent NHL commercial repeatedly says “Hockey is for everyone.”
Amazing !!!!!!! Go Hawks go !!!!!
Sadly, according to ESPN, Brent Sopel is no longer a member of the Blackhawks. He’s been traded to Atlanta.
Here’s hoping he either still is part of the parade or another player represents the Hawks.
As of last night, we received confirmation we are still on for having the Stanley Cup at the parade.
How wonderful for Sopel to be using his day with the cup for this purpose. What a fitting way to to remember Brendan Burke.
Hockey is for everyone!
societal attitude moving forward. Sopel and his family are such examples for other players and families; in with the times. Bigotry & hatred belongs in the past. Go Hawks!! I hope to see hockey in Canada set some similar examples; pave the way for individuals to let themselves out of the closet. So many died for freedom, including the most important one himself. I will not let their deaths go in vain. these days we don’t need death for freedom, we can give it to ourselves. I’ll never return to the closet. I was worth the effort of letting myself out guys, you are too. And afterward, you can still play, protected by hate laws. Remember Matthew Shepard.