By Ben Shanahan
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
The Perrysburg Hockey Fights Cancer fundraiser at Slater Family Ice Arena Sunday raised $4,485 through online donations, a t-shirt sale, and a 50/50 raffle.
“I have been involved with this for two years. I know they were doing it before I joined last year, and we raised around $5,000. This year we are doing well. It has been a great thing for Perrysburg to give back to the community and the American Cancer Society,” said teacher Michelle Waddle.
For Perrysburg, cancer hits close to home with coach Kevin Fisher’s niece, Everly Laux, dropping the puck at the event’s opening faceoff last season, and this year she’s handing those duties over to Frank Elementary’s Waddell, a cancer survivor and teacher in the Perrysburg community.
“The honored guest dropping the puck today is a third-grade teacher from Frank Elementary. She is five years free. We are giving back and honoring someone from the community,” said Fisher.
This cause is not just important for the community members but also for the team, as Fisher explained.
“Like most people, I have someone who has been through this battle. Last year it was my niece who dropped the puck. She is doing great. It really hit home,” Fisher said. “Now here we are 12 months later doing it again, and to know that the boys get to be a part of something bigger.
“When you are on the team, you are already something bigger, but when that team gets to be a part of something bigger like the program and that message carries over into something like this today where we get to be a small part of something that is global and raising close to $10,000 in twelve months is something those boys should be very proud of.”
One of those players, Jackson Baltzell, says it is a very important cause.
“It is very important. A lot of my family members have battled through cancer. A game like this gives us extra motivation for not just the people we know but for all people with cancer,” said Baltzell.
They event included a signature collection to hang the names of cancer survivors, as well as a chuck-a-puck contest to win Toledo Walleye tickets and ride on the Zamboni.
Perrysburg hockey is uniting with the NHL and NHL Players’ Association with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge and Road to Recovery Program.
