March 1, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7th ANNUAL RED BANDANNA SKATE FOR YOUTH ICE HOCKEY TEAMS AND NYACK ALUMS & SPECIAL GUESTS TO BENEFIT 9/11 CHARITABLE TRUST
The 7th Annual Red Bandanna Skate, co-sponsored by Nyack Varsity Ice Hockey Alumnae and The Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust, will be held this year on Saturday, April 12, from 4:30 to 7 pm at Sport-o-Rama, College Road, Monsey, NY. Sport-o-Rama has most generously donated the ice time for this event.
The event is a major fund-raiser for the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust, founded in memory of the late Welles Crowther who lost his life during the attacks on the World Trade center on September 11, 2001. Welles, an equities trader for Sandler O'Neill & Partners, 2 WTC and a volunteer firefighter as a member of Empire Hook & Ladder Co. No 1 of Upper Nyack, is credited with saving many lives on September 11th. He has become known as "The Man in the Red Bandanna" for his courageous actions during his final hour. For the first time in department history, Welles was made an honorary member of the FDNY, posthumously, on Dec 15, 2006.
Welles was a member of Nyack High School's Varsity Ice Hockey team for 4 years. In 2002, at the Inaugural Skate, Welles' team jersey was presented to the Crowther family by Mr. Joseph LaPorte, Nyack's Director of Athletics and Welles' # 19 was retired. The Nyack Ice Hockey Alumnae, led by teammates John Scott and Chris Varmon, former coaches and friends, have organized the Red Bandanna Skate annually ever since.
This year the Clarkstown Capitals, a Rockland County youth ice hockey program for youngsters ages 7 to 17, coached by Ed Varmon, will participate in the "Young Stars Game" of the Red Bandanna Skate. At 4:30, the Capitals will face off with teams of 20 to 25 players, at five age levels: Mite (7-8), Squirt (9-10), PeeWee(11-12), Bantam (13-14) and Midget (15-18). The teams will play a running clock game for 50-60 minutes to showcase their talents.
The adults will play a competitive benefit game in memory of Welles in the second half of the program. Last year players included Nyack High School alumnae, former teammates of Welles from other Rockland County ice hockey programs and members of the FDNY.
Tickets for the Red Bandanna Skate are $5.00 each and may be purchased at the door.
The After Party for players 18 and older will be hosted by Bruxelles, Main Street, Nyack.
The Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust is recognized as a not-for-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code. The mission of the trust is to award scholarships to deserving young people striving for excellence and support other not-for-profit organizations that benefit young people in the areas of education, health and character development.
Tax-deductible donations to the Trust are gratefully accepted. Checks payable to the Welles Remy Crowther Charitable Trust may be mailed to the trust at:
Crowther Trust
P.O. Box 780
Nyack, NY 10960-0780