The 11 Day PowerPlay, founded by Fredonia State grad Mike Lesakowski and his wife Amy has raised more than $10 million dollars since its inception in 2017. All funds go to support Cancer research and support for families in the battle through the Make A Wish foundation, Camp Good Days, and Roswell Park/Oshei Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorder Program.

The 11 Day Power Play, Inc. was founded kin 2016 when Amy Lesakowski was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. But thanks to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, she had a successful outcome. In 2013, Mike’s mother was diagnosed with lung cancer, and she succumbed to her disease. These events inspired Mike and Amy to want to give back in a big way to the organization that saved Amy’s life.

The 11 Day Power Play was born. On June 22, 2017, 40 men took to the ice at HarborCenter in Buffalo, NY in an attempt to set the world record for the longest continuous hockey game. Through July 3, 2017, the 40 men lived onsite, played hockey nonstop, and raised more than $1 million Roswell Park.

This led to the current version that sees teams raise funds and play a 3 hour shift. The shifts are around the clock so over the 11 days 176 teams take a shift. Beaver Club hockey captain Greg Krauza stated, “We entered a team in 2018, the first year of community shifts, and have raised over $50,000 in support. The Beaver Club and all the players on our team do so much for the community but this one is personal.”

Team members for the Fredonia Beaver Club.

Krauza continued, ” I am proud and thankful for the great group of players who donate their money, time and energy as they gut out a three hour shift. We love hockey and hate cancer so this is the opportunity to use our passions to make a difference”.

Beaver Club President Dave George said “We support our community in many ways. We all have a connection with the battle against cancer. Our support of this event helps those in the battle and their families as well as providing funds to research how to end this horrid disease.” The Beaver Club, located on Prospect Street in Fredonia, was established in 1937 and has been supporting village and area causes from the beginning.

Beaver Club hockey’s fundraising efforts were led by Tom Cocker who raised over $4,000 and was selected to play in the game reserved for the top 40 individual fundraisers. Both Cocker and Beaver Club captain Greg Krauza have achieved Power Player status the last two years as the 11 DPP recognizes their elite fund raisers.