BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) Aaron Mentkowski, WBEN and WKBW Meteorologist, has given up his day job for the next week and a half.
He's a member of the "frozen forty" at this year's 11 Day Power Play at Buffalo Riverworks.
"I found out on January 1st that I would be part of the team. I've been working out and running and training since then. I feel pretty good right now, but the true test will be around day 4, 5 and 6 when you're on the 4am shift and no one is out there," said Mentkowski.
The 11 Day Power Play is a continuous hockey game that won't come to an end until the night before Thanksgiving. The event is raising money for local charities. Already, $1.8 million dollars has been raised this year for Roswell Park, Camp Good Days and Make-A-Wish. The goal is $2 million dollars.
The hardest part for him, is being away from his family for eleven days. "I'm not that far from them, but I can't go home, I can't leave Riverworks. When they come to visit, there's a special spot where we can say hi. But that will be the hardest part."
WKBW and WBEN meteorologist Aaron Mentkowski is on the ice on day one of the 11 Day Power Play.
Posted by WBEN NewsRadio on Sunday, November 14, 2021
Aaron said it reminds him of being back in college, as office space above the ice at Riverworks has been transformed into dorm rooms for the event.
"I felt like I was getting ready to go back to SUNY Oswego. I had to find stuff I needed and find out who my roommates were. We all get along and have the same goal - to raise money for cancer research and other organizations in Western New York," he said.
A lot went into the logistics for the 11-day event from feeding the players to sleeping accommodations. "There's three of us in a room," said Mentkowski. "We're all on the same shift. It was nice last night. No one snored too loudly, and no one had a loud CPAP machine, so I was pretty happy," he said.
It can be challenging to feed forty hungry hockey players, but 11 Day founder Amy Lesakowski says she's got it covered. "We have a variety of appetites, but we're really prepared. "Through the generosity of our local community, local restaurants have stepped up. We have every lunch and dinner filled. We're on our own for breakfast and our sponsor Tops Friendly Markets has been very generous with that, so these guys will not go hungry," she added.
The public is not only welcome, but they are encouraged to attend, any time of day over the course of the 11-Day. "Come on down," said Lesakowski. "Cheer them on. They need the motivation to get through these difficult eleven days."
