Memorable Military Appreciation Night at Pepsi Center

The Colorado Avalanche had a very special ceremony on the Pepsi Center ice before its game against the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.
As part of Colorado's eighth annual Military Appreciation Night, Lieutenant Colonel James Harvey, an original Tuskegee Airmen of World War II and Korean War veteran, dropped the puck during a ceremonial faceoff.

Lieutenant Colonel Harvey was born in 1923 and reported to the Tuskegee Army Air Field in December of 1943. He was the first African American jet fighter pilot to fly missions over Korea and flew 126 combat missions in support of the ground troops.
He has been awarded multiple military medals and decorations. In 2007, along with the other Tuskegee Airmen, Lieutenant Colonel Harvey was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, and he was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame in 2012.

After Lieutenant Colonel Harvey dropped the puck, the players and fans directed their attention to the rafters where two Army rappel masters lowered the American flag to the ice for the national anthem.
The Avalanche wore special camouflage jerseys during warmup. Afterward, each player signed his sweater and
it is now up for auction at ColoradoAvalanche.com.
The auction runs through Monday, March 18 at 10 p.m. MT. Proceeds benefit the community programs supported by Kroenke Sports Charities, including numerous military organizations.

The Avs' contest was part of a trio of Military Appreciation games hosted by Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, along with co-presenters AAA Service Plumbing, Heating & Electric; Budweiser; and Phantom K9.
KSE is also recognizing and thanking military members and their families for their service to our country at the Denver Nuggets outing against the Indian Pacers on March 16 and the Colorado Mammoth's matchup with the Calgary Roughnecks on March 23.
The 50/50 raffle during Colorado's game will grow a cumulative pot through the Mammoth's game.
A portion of the proceeds will go to Folds of Honor, an organization that provides educational scholarships to children and spouses of American's fallen and disabled service members since 2007.