Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN/WGR Sports Radio 550) - Thursday marks the return of the 11 Day Power Play, which has become a staple of Western New York summers for local hockey players. This year marks the seventh year the event has been held since the inaugural event in 2017 that set a new Guinness world record.
For 11 Day Power Play co-founder Amy Lesakowski, the preparation for this year's event dates back to last summer.
"We do start planning the week after our event ends for the next year, so our staff is ready," said Lesakowski in an interview with WBEN. "It's been a long year preparing. We've got more than 500 more players this year, so we're at 2,500 participants, the most we've ever had. So we've had to really prepare for that, and we're ready to go."
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Most every year with the 11 Day Power Play, there is a bit of something different for players when they get ready to play their three-hour community shift. This year, while the event will still go around the clock, non-stop, there will be some time to allow for a pause in the action.
"There might be about six evenings between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. that we resurface the ice, let it sit, because it does take a beating over the course of 11 days," Lesakowski explained. "But we've got 3 a.m. shifts this year. We had quite a waiting list of teams that wanted to play, and we offered 3 a.m. to a few of them, and they grabbed them."
Meanwhile, the approximately 2,500 skaters set to take the ice for this year's 11 Day Power Play are, once again, going to get the special treatment from organizers of being treated like the professionals.
"I would hope they'd be excited for being able to play with their friends and family, whoever their team is composed of. It's a really special three-hour shift where you come together, and we feed you, we hang jerseys in the locker room and really try to make a special event," Lesakowski detailed. "I think a lot of us have longed for the ability to make high-level hockey teams where you actually get a name plate. We do all of that. We really think it's important to cater to our players. They work hard fundraising all year, and this is their time to skate for three hours in front of friends and family."
While the players get the professional treatment over the course of 11 days, there is also plenty of ways for fans to get involved. And the best part of it all is it's free to attend these games, no matter who you're cheering on.
"We have a Rink of Hope that we invite the community to come down and visit. It's basically an area of the rink that people place pucks in memory, in honor and support of people that have been touched by cancer. It's pretty emotional to walk by that part of the rink," Lesakowski noted. "And everybody that purchases something in merchandise and supports the 11 Day Power Play gets a puck to be able to place on there. The merchandise is available around the clock, up until midnight.
"Anybody can come down, cheer on as fans, make a poster, place it on the glass, let the players know that you're supporting them."
In addition, Thursday night will see the 11 Day Power Play hosting its Opening Celebration, starting at 6 p.m. ET, and the entire community is welcome to join the party.
"We celebrate the hard work of our players and the volunteers, and kick off the start of our fight against cancer," Lesakowski said. "We've got live music going on, we've got Nicholas Picholas DJing, we've got Dan Dunleavy doing play-by-play for the top fundraising games that we have going on, our top-60 players are actually playing in a game. They get an upgraded jersey with their name and their number that they actually get to pick, which we don't typically allow in our community shipped event. And lots of merchandise being revealed as well, and fun family activities. There's actually a family skate on Rink 2 starting at 4:30 p.m., but that all begins 6-to-9 p.m."
In addition, Petey Power Play and Sabretooth will be in attendance for the Opening Celebration on Thursday. There will also be some fun that everyone can get involved in, and includes prized.
"This year, we thought about adding 'Chuck a Puck', which people that play hockey or have been around college hockey or junior hockey has seen this game. Basically, we're giving out the pucks for free, they're soft, squishy pucks. And at a certain point in the night at 7:20, approximately, our fans can actually chuck a puck onto the ice and try to hit a target," Lesakowski explained. "We're giving out four prizes for the four-closest pucks to the target. That'll be really fun this year."
Every year, the 11 Day Power Play aims for the goal of $1 million raised to go towards cancer research, and helping those fighting the good fight against cancer. That goal was attained once again this year earlier this month, but organizers are not stopping there.
"This year, we're going for $1.7 million, and we're going to be close. So it's really important that our players push," Lesakowski said. "All the money that we raise stays local and supports four amazing charities - Roswell Park, Camp Good Days, Make-A-Wish and the Oishei Children's Hospital and Roswell Cancer Blood Disorders collaboration."
Lesakowski adds there's actually a new beneficiary added this year, which is the Petey fund.
"We wanted to support other organizations in the community that also have the same similar mission. There are smaller organizations out there that $11,000 would mean a lot to. That is the amount they will receive, and we are going to be announcing the recipient at the opening ceremony that starts at 6 o'clock on Thursday night," she said. "It's a surprise. I know who it is, and they know who they are, but they will be on the ice with us at Opening Celebration. That'll be really special."
Lesakowski, along with her husband Mike, understand that times may be tough on a number of different families across Western New York, and donating time and money for any cause may be more difficult. That's why the Lesakowskis know every dollar, and every volunteer counts toward the cause.
"We're such a small organization, grassroots, and there's four of us basically leading 300 volunteers. We could not put this event on without them, so our volunteers are incredibly important to us and the event," Lesakowski said. "And every dollar that can be brought to the 11 Day Power Play during this time, this campaign is so important. We primarily support research at Roswell Park. 80%, approximately, goes every year to Roswell, and $1 actually translates into $23. Roswell Park is able to leverage our funds to a significant more amount through grants through the government. So any dollar really matters, and whether you can afford to give $20, $5 or $1, it means a lot."
Thursday's first three-hour community shift takes place at 6 a.m. ET at Harborcenter in Downtown Buffalo.
Meanwhile, Team WGR will take to the ice on Thursday, June 27 at 6 p.m. ET when they face the Western New York Media All-Stars. A number of players from the WGR and WBEN family are set to take part including Joe DiBiase, Josh Schmit, Brayton Wilson, T.J. Luckman, Derek Kramer, Brendan Wenger and Allan Davis.