When College Hockey America instituted its Skate for the Cure fundraising weekend during the 2006-07 campaign, the Robert Morris women’s hockey team – along with other clubs in the league – was tasked with raising money to help find a remedy for cancer.

Though this year, the team’s two home contests against Lindenwood on Jan. 23 and 24 are more than just two regular season games.

They’re an opportunity to help the family of a former player.

“I think the biggest thing this year is that the money that we’re donating is going to Alissa Dorman, who was a member of the women’s ice hockey team,” said senior Maddie Collias. “She graduated a few years ago and it’s going toward her mother, who just had her last round of chemo [for lung cancer]. So it’s huge for us right now.”

During Skate for the Cure’s first few years in existence, proceeds raised by CHA schools were given directly to one distinct charity during the conference’s post-season tournament.

However since 2013, each team has been able to donate the funds raised to the charitable organization of its choice.

Which is why, according to junior defenseman Leah Carlson, it’s important for the club do whatever it can to help out a former Colonial.

“We’re just trying to raise as much money as we can,” she said. We’re making lots of cupcakes and selling that kind of stuff at basketball games and hockey games, wherever we can.”

In addition to the bake sale, the program is raffling off a jersey and stick signed by the entire 2015-15 women’s hockey team.

While a total of $25,385 was donated to various charities through Skate for the Cure last year, Robert Morris’ total of $2,209 was the least raised out of the league’s six programs.

Despite the fact that it would be nice for the Colonials to have bragging rights over conference rivals for fundraising the most, at the end of the day, all that matters is making a difference.

“I know Lindenwood raised a lot of money and it would be kind of cool to beat them out and raise more money,” Collias said. “Really the best thing is to raise as much as you can for the cause. Props to them if they raise more or whatever, it all goes to the same place. The biggest thing is just doing what we can, as much as we can.”

Carlson concurs.

“Our team’s pretty competitive so I think it would be really fun [to raise the most],” the Copper Center, Alaska native said. “We would have to raise a lot of money, but I think we can do it.”