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Woznikoski spurs Warriors’ Goals for Cancer campaign

It`s the toughest opponent Joel Woznikoski will ever face. But the Westside Warriors defenceman is taking his shot regardless.

This season, Woznikoski will donate $2 for every goal the team scores in its first 30 B.C. Hockey League games to the Canadian Cancer Society, and he`s encouraging his fellow teammates, fans and local businesses to match him, double him or donate as much as they can.

“I got the idea from a guy with the Tri-City Americans,” said the 20-year-old Surrey native. “I thought it would be kind of a good thing for us to get out in the community a bit more and bond with people involved in our team and let it go to a great cause.”

Woznikoski said he hopes the Westside Warriors Battle to Beat Cancer becomes an annual event. If the team scores a few more goals than last year`s 104, Woznikoski estimates he alone could donate $250, before donations come in from people in the community.

“My grandpa died of cancer and a guy who played for our team was diagnosed with cancer last year. Cancer affects everybody, so I thought it would be a good cause to get everybody to come together,” Woznikoski said.

Next week, he will be heading into the community to talk with businesses in West Kelowna and Kelowna to try to get them to donate what they can.

“We`ve had former coaches, like Mark Howell, and various people who have just let me know that they are in to do it,” he said.

Woznikoski is hoping to get some of the guys who used to play for the team to donate. And since this will be his last season in junior hockey, Woznikoski would like to make it an annual tradition for former Warriors to donate to the cause. The team plans to set up a website in a week or so, with a link to the Canadian Cancer Society so users can easily donate online.

On Oct. 16, the Warriors are also hosting a breast cancer fundraiser, where they will collect donations for the cause.