Story by Rachelle Peiffer

On Jan. 22, Tim Cook emailed an invite to Clackamas Community College staff to attend a Portland Winterhawks game.

“Since we haven’t had any snow or ice this year (fingers crossed,)let’s get a taste of it at a Portland Winterhawks hockey game,” Cook stated in the email, as at the time snow was not a likely occurrence.

The game took place Sunday against the Seattle Thunderbirds, where a whole block was reserved solely for CCC staff. Lori Hall, Keoni McHone and members of the Associated Student Government were but a few of those in attendance.

The fans only got louder as the game went on, with several of them emphatically slamming the glass. For a moment the jumbotron showed a small section of the CCC block — many of them wearing hats that said “PDX” with crossed hockey sticks and a small puck; the hats were given to staff members in attendance, with many of them not wearing CCC gear and wearing Winterhawks gear or warm clothing instead.

The battle on the boards continued and tensions rose, but the referees were quick to separate any players getting too close. With all of the action on the ice, the cold quickly became forgettable. The first goal went to the Winterhawks and the second to the Thunderbirds, but the game ultimately ended with a 5-2 Portland victory. Several members of the ASG had never attended a hockey game but remarked that they loved it.

“Tim Cook’s invitation to the game was very generous! It was a great way for the community at Clackamas Community College to come together,” Jinyoung Park said. “Despite it being my first hockey game, I generally understood what was happening and I found myself very engaged in the game. It was a very fun experience.”

Cook was, unfortunately, unable to attend the game himself due to a conflict, Hall said.