Wenatchee Wild announce return of fifth annual Military Appreciation Campout

WENATCHEE – The return of a Wenatchee Wild tradition on the ice also means the return of a Wenatchee Wild tradition in the front office, as the team gets ready for its annual Military Appreciation Night at Town Toyota Center.

The Wenatchee Wild are excited to announce the return of the team’s annual Military Appreciation campout, beginning Monday, October 21. For the fifth consecutive season, Senior Sales & Operations Coordinator David Rayfield will camp on the balcony at Town Toyota Center, and will remain on the balcony at the arena, until he has sold 1,000 tickets for this season’s Military Appreciation Night. This year’s game is scheduled for Saturday, November 9 against the Portland Winterhawks.

Tickets in the Wild Zone for Military Appreciation Night are $17, with $4 from each ticket sold during the campout to be split between the Wenatchee Valley Veterans Hall and the Thomas A. Biddle Foundation. Rayfield and the Wild have raised over $14,000 during the Military Appreciation campout over the previous four years.

“Taking part in the Military Appreciation Campout each year is personally one of my favorite parts of the Wild season. I often get laughed at for doing this stunt, but it is well worth it,” said Rayfield. “For me, it is important that we show support to our local veterans and their families. Camping out on a balcony for a few days is nothing compared to what our vets have been through. I am proud to be able to say after this year’s campout that the Wenatchee Wild will have raised over $18,000 to give back to local veterans’ organizations. I really appreciate the community’s support of the Wenatchee Wild and our veterans.”

Rayfield’s goal will sit at 1,000 tickets for the third consecutive year. That goal has risen or remained steady each year, starting with a goal of 500 tickets sold during the 2019-20 season, and rising to 750 tickets for the February 2022 campout. Rayfield has spent more than 16 days on the balcony during the previous four campouts – he is allowed to come back inside to use the bathroom, but will otherwise remain out in the elements for these tremendous causes.

Time is especially of the essence to reach the goal this season, with a home game on the schedule the night before the campout begins, and another home game on Friday, October 25 at Town Toyota Center. Many donors choose to purchase tickets for the game and then donate them to local veterans and their families so that they may attend the game.

To purchase tickets for Wenatchee’s Military Appreciation Night on November 9, call David Rayfield at the Wild office at 509-888-7825 or visit wenatcheewildhockey.com and click on the Military Appreciation link under the Tickets tab. Updated news and information on Wild hockey are always available through the team’s website and on the team’s social media platforms on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.