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Charity Skate Benefits Darien's Person-To-Person

DARIEN, Conn. -- The Darien Winter Club members laced up their skates and picked up their hockey sticks to face-off in the Ninth Annual ‘Darien Winter Club Charity Skate’ on Saturday, May 31.

Photo Credit: Contributed

The ‘Charity Skate’ is a club tradition that gives members the chance to have a great time playing ice hockey while raising money for a worthy cause. Started by a longtime club member, Tony Oja, the early events benefited the ‘Ice Hockey in Harlem’ charity. And over the years, other charities have been selected by club members. The event was held at the Terry Conners Ice Rink in Stamford,

Since 2006, Person-to-Person has been the designated charity for this fund-raising event. John Shaker, organizer of the annual event, notes the generosity of the DWC membership and the venue at which they play. “The Terry Conners Ice Rink donates the ice time, so 100 percent of the donations from the players directly benefit the Campership Program. This year we raised $6,500 bringing the cumulative nine-year total to more than $50,000.”

According to P2P Executive Director Ceci Maher, the ‘Charity Skate’ has funded a full summer of camp for an average of 10 children every year. “For these children, who are from low-income families in Stamford, summer camp is more than just fun and games. The Campership Program gives peace of mind to parents because their children are safe in an environment that is rich with stimulating activities and new experiences.”

Shaker says all player slots were filled for this year’s event. “DWC members have been very generous over the years. The ‘Charity Skate’ says a great deal about the character of the guys in the club.”

Visit p2phelps.org for more information about Person-to-Person and the Campership Program.

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