Charity hockey game raises $2,000 for ALS research in honor of Mike Purvis

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A charity hockey game raised money and awareness for ALS research Thursday night at Skate Nation in Short Pump.

The annual game honors Mike Purvis, who battled ALS until his death in May 2022. Purvis’s grandchildren, Liam and Carson Blankenship, helped throw out the ceremonial puck alongside CBS 6’s Jon Burkett. Clara Burkett sang the national anthem to open the event.

The Patriots Law Enforcement team, which is made up of current and former officers from across Central Virginia, faced off against the Raleigh Fire and Police Department on the ice.

While players competed, volunteers in the lobby collected donations for ALS research. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is a progressive disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. There is currently no cure for the condition.

The Patriots Law Enforcement Hockey Team donates to ALS charities every year. Although Raleigh won the game, both teams celebrated raising more than $2,000 to help find and fund a cure.

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