Year 2 of the 11 Day Power Play Community Shift! As the leader in highlight reel goals for team blue of the Crusaders in 2018, I am happy to be back playing again this year in support of such worthy causes as Roswell Park, Camp Good Days and Make-A-Wish WNY. I have had so many friends and family that have directly benefited from these organizations that I am more than happy to fundraise for them and get to play hockey as a reward for that work!

Getting the chance to play hockey has been something I have been blessed to be able to do all my life and it has allowed me to meet some of my oldest, trusted and most loyal friends. From breakaway misses to blocked shots with our heads to top ti…I mean top shelf goals, the memories we have made have lasted a lifetime and the opportunity to make more this summer with the group of folks I played with last year is so exciting.

All of us taking the ice for the Crusaders have had cancer touch us in some way. For me, I am playing for those close to me who I have lost to this horrible disease, my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. I am also playing for the survivors of cancer; my sister-in-aw who has twice beaten Leukemia, my father who has beaten prostate cancer, and my grandmother-in-law who is battling breast cancer. I can’t wait to write their name on the big wall and my stick before I pot some goals this coming summer. Thank you in advance for any donation you give to this great cause and if the time allows, I hope to see you at the rink this summer cheering me and the crusaders on!

This summer, more than 2,500 pairs of skates will hit the ice to play in the 2019 11 Day Power Play Community Shift to help in the fight against cancer! The 11-day game will be played in continuous shifts at Harborcenter in Buffalo, NY. This important event supports The 11 Day Power Play, raising critically-needed funds for cancer research and wellness programs at Roswell Park, Camp Good Days and Make-A-Wish WNY. While it is physically challenging to play in a marathon hockey game, it's a walk in the park compared to what most endure in their battle against cancer. Cancer is a disease that touches everyone, and The 11 Day Power Play wants to make an impact in our community. In the past two years, The 11 Day Power Play has raised nearly $2.5 million supporting cancer causes in Western New York.

Donations are graciously accepted online or by check. Please write checks out to 'The 11 Day Power Play' and send to PO Box 4, Buffalo, NY 14223. If you are interested in a sponsorship, contact Sara Schumacher today.

To learn more about the 11 Day Power Play organization, visit www.11daypowerplay.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.