36th Annual Bud Cup fundraising hockey tournament Friday – Sunday

March 31, 2022 — The 36th annual Bud Cup hockey tournament will take place this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Rock Springs Family Recreation Center Ice Arena. A total of 10 teams are scheduled to participate in the event, with play beginning Friday at 6 p.m. and continuing until the championship game at 2:30 Sunday afternoon. The is no admission cost for spectators.

The tournament is also a fundraising event for a family in need. The Rock Springs Men’s Hockey Association is conducting two raffles during the event to raise money to assist the Gasperetti family of Green River with medical expenses and travel accommodations in relating to the care of Gabriela Grace “GG” Gasperetti who was born with Renal Agenesis.

Raffle items include a Camp Chef Pellet Smoker, a Vortex Razor HD Spotting Scope, and a Springfield .45 ACP 1911 pistol. Fundraising tickets are priced at $20 each or six for $100. They will also have basket raffles priced at $1 per ticket, six tickets for $5, or a “wingspan” for $20! Cash donations will also be accepted.

About “GG”

According to information supplied by the Bud Cup, one GG’s kidneys did not develop in utero and the other kidney was cystic and only had 6% function. She was diagnosed with End-Stage Renal Disease and was in the NICU for a month, and a half before her kidney completely stopped working. She then had to be placed on emergency Hemodialysis. She was in the hospital for two months before being able to go home and do peritoneal dialysis at home, where many complications arose, including incarcerated hernias, requiring multiple surgeries to repair. GG also developed rickets in her bones that affect her ability to walk and was born without a bladder.

GG still has a long journey ahead of her with therapy, clinics, and many doctor’s visits, but through it all, she is a strong, happy little girl.