Base, Bombers team up for charity

  • Published
  • By James Baker
  • Skywrighter staff
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  The Dayton Bombers hockey team hosted appreciation night for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base March 10 at the Ervin J. Nutter Center.

The evening event, which raised money for a great cause, started with a ceremonial dropping of the puck by Col. Colleen M. Ryan, 88th Air Base Wing commander and was capped off by a triumph by the home team.

The Bombers wore special promotional jerseys that featured their new, alternate logo in honor of Wright-Patterson AFB night. The authentic, game-worn jerseys were immediately auctioned off following the game. The money bid on the jerseys benefited the Fisher and Nightingale Houses on base.

"It was a tremendous night all around," Ryan said. "The Bombers won an exciting game, and their support for the Fisher-Nightingale auction raised an incredible $9, 400. That speaks volumes for how Dayton feels about this worthwhile cause as well as how they feel about their own Bombers, who are having a great winning season."

The Fisher and Nightingale Houses provide physical and emotional support to servicemen and servicewomen and provide an opportunity for military families to stay together and support each other when a loved one is undergoing medical treatment.

Chris Stanley, executive director of the Fisher-Nightingale Houses, echoed Col. Ryan's sentiments of the success of the evening. He said 18 jerseys were sold with the top one selling for $1,600.

"Wright-Patterson was strongly represented at the event," Stanley said. "From the opening puck drop to the auction at the end of the game, everything went great."

The Bombers drew one of their biggest crowds of the season with more than 7,400 attending. They, along with Times Community Newspapers, gave those affiliated with the base two free tickets.

Kyle Schweitzer of Spinning Hills Middle School attended the event with his family and friends and said he had a great time.

"This was the second game I have ever been to, and we were all glad the Bombers did so well, said the 10-year old whose dad, Kris Schweitzer, works at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center. "The crowd was really loud and energized, and it was pretty cool when the announcer thanked Wright-Patterson for coming."

Schweitzer's mom, Leann, and younger brother, Travis, also were on hand to celebrate in the festivities.

Also there for the opening puck-drop ceremony were Frank Beeson, publisher of Brown Publishing; Costa Papista, owner of the Bombers; and Joe Bovair and Dana Kuzel, season ticket holders who recently returned from deployment in Iraq. Both bought a jersey at the auction.

"The Bombers auction generated a lot of enthusiasm and enabled a lot of different people to buy a jersey for a very worthy cause here at Wright-Patterson," Bovair said. "The big reason I bought the jersey is two-fold: It adds to the approximately 80 I already have and it benefits the Fisher-Nightingale House."

Col. Ryan said the effort put forth by everyone to make the event special for Wright-Patterson was excellent.

"I would like to thank the Bombers and Brown Publishing for making Wright-Patterson appreciation night so successful, enjoyable and charitable," the installation commander said.