Colorado Avalanche Host Another Successful Charity Brunch

The Colorado Avalanche Avs Better Halves hosted a charity brunch to benefit the Kroenke Sports Charities. This year’s was a typical success.

Every year the Colorado Avalanche hosts a Charity Brunch put on by the Avs Better Halves. This year’s brunch took place at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center.

The purpose of the brunch is to feature children who have overcome medical challenges in their lives. The organization buys them an outfit of their choice, which they then get to display on the catwalk while walking with players and coaches. The fashion show is preceded by the actual brunch, which the players serve to attendees.

The day starts out with players meeting the children and their families.

Once the players locate the child with whom they’ve been matched, they take some time out to play games with them.

Later, the attendees start arriving. They have purchased tickets to the event with all the proceeds going to Kroenke Sports Charities. The attendees have time to mingle and bid on baskets made by the Avs Better Halves for each individual player.

Meanwhile, some of the “Better Halves” are mingling around selling signed pucks. Again, all the proceeds go to the Kroenke Sports Charity.

To get the food portion of the day started, the players don special embroidered aprons and walk the catwalk.

They then make their way to the food stations. The players serve the food to the children and their families as well as the attendees.

Apparently they also nibble on the food themselves.

And Tyson Barrie strikes a pose for the camera — only to discover it’s video.

Before the fashion show, the players go behind the scenes to get fully suited up, including ties. Fun fact, 21-year-old Mikko Rantanen is still not adept at tying his own tie.

No, really, Rantanen had his mom pre-tie his ties:

Hopefully he got some pointers from the captain on how to tie a tie since he has to do it 82+ times a year…

Anyway, before the actual fashion show, the players meet up with their assigned kids again, often to work out special moves for the catwalk.

Side note: Not a lot of the players this year are fathers, being so young themselves. However, I love seeing them interact with the kids. It gives you an indication of how great they’re going to be as fathers. As far as the players who are parents — you can tell. They can corral even the most hyped up of kids.

At that point, everyone’s favorite part of the day begins — the fashion show. The announcers say the name of the child and which player is walking with them.

All the kids are the center of the show. However, I’ve got to say the little girl with the pearl cat ears has good fashion game.

I’m also a big fan of the Super Girl Avalanche capes.

I don’t have verification, but I think this kid can tie a tie better than Rantanen — I’m guessing the captain showed him.

Also, it’s not everyone who can rock red pants, but Porter nails it.

The players have often stated that the annual Charity Brunch, which is in its 21st year, is their favorite event of the season. However, it is so meaningful to the families of the children who participate.

It’s not just about raising money for charity. These families get the chance to connect with others who are enduring the same difficulties. They also get to connect with families who have gotten through those tough times.

Additionally, it’s a chance for the families to get away from their problems and do something fun for a day. And the players get into it.

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I’ve known people who have participated in the Charity Brunch. The children often make friends with the player, and that friendship transcends the event and even the player getting traded. Said players often even look for the child when they revisit their old arena.

For example, former Colorado Avalanche center Matt Duchene is renowned for making friends with Haven Anderson, a child fighting cancer. He has been close with her family, and though he’s now with the Ottawa Senators, he’s sending her care packages of Sens merchandise.

All teams participate in charity events often put on by the players’ wives and girlfriends. I think the Avs Better Halves Charity Brunch for the Colorado Avalanche is an especially meaningful one.