Support LGBTQ Awareness with Rainbow-Colored Hockey Tape

#PrideTape pic.twitter.com/zpIceBLt6V
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 24, 2016

We're getting down to the end of 2016 and, well, at least sports were awesome!

In the spirit of goodwill, let's agree to close out 2016 with a tale of the tape. Pride Tape. It's the rainbow stick wrapping aiming to cross-check bigotry. The company slogan is, "Stop Homophobia in Hockey. One Roll at a Time." CBC News has the story of the Canadian Kickstarter that more than 1,000 backers helped make a reality. To date, the effort has raised CA$ 76,147 and it's spreading internationally and even to other sports.

"'It's a phenomenal made-in-Edmonton success story,' said co-creater Kris Wells, director of the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta.

Pride Tape launched in Edmonton last December. The campaign encourages hockey players to wrap their sticks with the six rainbow colours of the LGBTQ pride flag.

Wells said he's now filling international orders to countries as far away as Australia.

'It's a lot more than tape — it's a powerful symbol,' he said."

Pride Tape is free for minor league hockey programs across Canada. Sales to the public are funneled back to the You Can Play Project, which aims to eliminate discrimination and gay slurs throughout sports.

The Edmonton Oilers have been supporters of the Pride Tape initiative and wrapped their sticks last January during their annual Skills Competition. A simple open-hearted gesture that reverberated across the frozen ponds of the Great White North.

The CBC story has tear-jerking moments, including a final ribbon-crossing donation from the family of deceased hockey player Brendan Burke who was openly gay and advocated on behalf of others, and a youth squad wrapping their sticks to honor their gay coach. It's well-worth your time and a good way to say good-bye, if not good riddance, to 2016.

Have a safe and happy new year. Now go tape up those sticks with Pride.