BUFFALO (WBEN - Brendan Keany) - Just like that, another incredibly successful 11 Day Power Play has come to an end.
And that will do it for this year's @11DayPowerPlay. More than $1.6 million was raised @RoswellPark, @CampGoodDays and @makeawishwn. @NewsRadio930 pic.twitter.com/IJInbXD2EY
— Brendan Keany (@BrendanKeany) July 15, 2019
On Monday, the 11 Day Power Play concluded as the team that raised the most money for this year's event played their three hour shift against a team comprised of former Sabres such as Jay McKee, Patrick Kaleta and Michael Peca, as well as players from the Buffalo Beauts.
"It says a lot about the community for sure," said Peca. "There's not a more generous city that I've been in, and I've been in a lot, that cares more about its city than Buffalonians."
A whopping $1.6 million was raised by this year's fundraiser, and that now brings the three-year total to more than $4 million.
"Over 20,000 donors donated to the 11 Day Power Play, and it's amazing - last year I think it was 16,000, so every year we're obviously growing and reaching out to more in our community," said co-founder Amy Lesakowski, a cancer survivor.
#Thatsawrap $1.6 million for cancer causes in WNY and ready for next year! Thank you to all the amazing players, donors, sponsors, volunteers and fans! #Community #MoreThanAGame #PuttingCancerOnIce #Buffalo @PicSixCreative @BWipp pic.twitter.com/HNXX8kabZ8
— 11 Day Power Play (@11DayPowerPlay) July 15, 2019The event's main beneficiary is Roswell Park, and the money will go to support cancer research. However, funds will also go toward Make-A-Wish WNY and Camp Good Days.
"We're not only raising these funds, but we're raising awareness for three amazing organizations that helped me," Lesakowski added. "Roswell Park saved my life, and Camp Good Days, I wasn't aware of it or the services that they had, and my kids didn't benefit from their services during my treatment, so we really want to raise awareness and support them as well."
Roswell Park President and CEO Candace Johnson was blown away.
"Every time we have events like this, what it does is it shines a light on those folks who are really struggling with cancer, or their family members that are or their friends that are, and it sort of brings us all together to think about what this actually means and to think about what your dollars can do - how they can help patients, not only for new cures and new treatments, but also with struggling to get through that new treatment with quality of life measures that these funds can go for," said Johnson. "It really brings it all home and makes us all sort of think about this issue."
"I'll be back as long as my body allows me," said Peca.
