The 11-Day Power Play has finished up its third year, raising more than $1.6 million for charity.
This year, more than 2,300 skaters ages 11-76 hit the ice during three-hour shifts in the 2019 11-Day Power Play Community Shift, representing the largest group of skaters to date and the most dollars raised, said Mike Lesakowski, who founded the event with his wife, Amy, a cancer survivor, after his mother lost her own battle with cancer in 2016.
“We set a $1 million goal, and we got to that before puck drop. Actually, we were at $1.28 million, exactly what we raised last year,” he said. “It’s going awesome.”
Two hours before the final three-hour shift, the event was $2,500 away from $1.6 million, and by noon, the total raised hit $1.61 million, with 80 percent of dollars going to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. The remaining 20 percent will be split between Make-A-Wish and Camp Good Days and Special Times.