BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - As the 11 Day Power Play rolls on into its fifth day, its the volunteers who work just as hard - if not harder - than the players themselves on the ice.
Just don't tell that to volunteer Tammy Davis.
"I think we have the easy part," Davis said. "Volunteering is nothing compared to what a lot of these people go through with their treatment...It's not even a question of I don't have the time. It's a question of 'When do you need me? I will make the time.' I want to do as much as I humanly can."
The 11 Day Power Play first began in 2017 when 40 men took the ice in the longest hockey game ever played. Among them was Davis' husband. Allan. She said she originally got involved because of Allan's involvement in the 11 Day Power Play.
"We just make sure everything is ready to go for the players," she said. "As they come off the ice, you're always there to encourage them and to make sure they're having a good time."
They also have to make quick decisions. For example, one player was hit with a puck over the weekend and required stitches. Fortunately, she said everyone's had a good time.
Other volunteers have been tasked with running the merchandise stands and other odds and ends around the arena. But with odd hours at times during the 11 Day Power Play, Davis stepped up.
"Early on, they knew that the overnight shifts were a little challenging to fill from time-to-time," she said. "We said 'Absolutely. Just put us on an overnight shift and we're there for you guys."
Another odd job around HarborCenter during the 11 Day Power Play is pizza handling. Each new round of games brings in a new batch of pizza from Tops. Over 15 days...that's 120 pizzas that come.
"It is a lot of pizza," she said. "There were five to six big boxes in the pizza oven when we got off our shift at 8 a.m. Sunday. It's to the point where pizza is not very fun in our household at this point. We kind of go on an anti-pizza diet for a while."
"It's kind of a joke with all of us originals that it's a pizza party," she said. "Where's the wings and when does the 50/50 break out?"
Volunteering positions at the 11 Day Power Play are currently filled, though Davis encourages you to get involved as early as you can for the 2020 edition of the charity.
