Blue Jackets honor military with Lightning game Nov. 12 at 7 p.m., featuring Damon Bass

Blue Jackets honor military with Lightning game Nov. 12 at 7 p.m., featuring Damon Bass

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Thursday’s 7 p.m. Puck Drop Against Tampa Bay

The Columbus Blue Jackets will turn Nationwide Arena into a tribute to service members on Thursday, Nov. 12, hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7 p.m. for the club’s annual Military Appreciation Night, presented by Elk + Elk, NHL.com reported.

The evening is built to recognize active-duty military members, veterans and their families through a mix of on-ice tributes, concourse activations and fundraising efforts. Fans looking to attend can purchase a special Military Appreciation Night ticket package that pairs a game ticket with an exclusive themed wearable, available while supplies last at BlueJackets.com/MilitaryAppreciation.

Staff Sgt. Damon Bass Takes Center Stage as Honoree

At the center of the night is Staff Sgt. Damon Bass, who will serve as the Elk + Elk Military Honoree. A Columbus native, Bass began playing hockey with the Columbus Ice Hockey Club at age five before enlisting in the U.S. Army, where he served 13 years and earned a spot on the All-Army Hockey Team.

Now stationed at the Westerville Army Recruiting Center, he has returned to CIHC as a coach, developing young players while continuing his service.

Collett Honors Veterans at Cannon Salute

Staff Sgt. Zachariah Collett will fire the cannon as the evening’s Cannoneer. Collett is featured in the National Veterans Memorial and Museum’s Portraits of Courage exhibit, which spotlights veterans whose stories embody service, resilience and perseverance.

Staff Sgt. Kenneth Bettinger of the 122nd Army Band will perform the national anthem, while members of Westerville VFW Post 7883 will serve as the color guard.

Fans Assemble USO Care Packages for Troops

The concourse will host a series of military and veteran service stations, including Franklin University Veteran Affairs, the U.S. Coast Guard, along with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce for Veterans, Army and National Guard Recruitment, Painted Memories Stables, Veteran Companion Animal Services, Honor Flight Columbus and the National Veterans Memorial Museum. Attendees may also join an interactive care package assembly on the main concourse benefiting the USO Ohio, presented by Elk + Elk with generous support from Kroger, to help assemble 350 packages filled with essentials and messages of encouragement for distribution to military personnel.

Raffles Benefit Children of Valor and Jersey Auctions

The Blue Jackets Foundation will run a 50/50 Raffle presented by KEMBA Financial Credit Union to benefit Children of Valor, a nonprofit dedicated to helping bridge academic and emotional gaps for children of active-duty and veteran Special Operations Forces members through tutoring and advocacy. Raffle sales open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11, and run through the end of the second intermission on Thursday, Nov. 12, with the winner announced during the third period that night. Fans 18 and older can buy tickets at BlueJackets.com/5050raffle.

Additional fundraising includes a chance to win exclusive player-autographed military-themed jerseys through a $10 raffle at cbjauction.givesmart.com. The raffle runs from Thursday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. through the end of the second intermission on Saturday, Nov. 14. Military-themed merchandise and autographed mystery pucks are also available by texting CBJAUCTION to 76278.

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