Launch date: January 14, 2023, 07:00
The 2023 Bender Traditional hockey match to profit Particular Olympics was an enormous success on and off the ice. Newtown Police Sergeant William Chapman and Officers Matt Hayes and Pete Wlasuk teamed as much as elevate cash for trigger (and arms to have fun) when Newtown hosted a trio from the College of Connecticut Police Division between rounds. The brand new Fairfield co-op group visits EO Smith Tolland on Jan. 7 in Storrs.
“The group on the Frietas Ice Discussion board in Storrs positively received their cash’s value,” stated Chapman, whose group gained the sport 4-1.
“The evening opened with everybody singing Joyful Birthday from UConn K9 Tildy, who barked with enthusiasm proper earlier than the ceremonial puck drop,” Chapman stated.
Newtown Police EO Smith confronted UConn officers Rene Rivera, Dean Vertefeuille and Invoice Funk throughout each halftimes in what he described as an extremely bodily defensive battle between the highschool groups, which Tolland’s group gained 1-0.
Police took to the ice through the first intermission and Chapman’s purpose gave the Newtown PD squad an early 1-0 lead. Hayes adopted with a purpose, and Chapman’s breakaway within the recreation’s remaining seconds gave Newtown a 3-0 lead. Each groups got here out sturdy within the second half. UConn PD spent extra time in Newtown territory, however could not cease Wlasuk from connecting for his fourth Newtown purpose. Funk put UConn PD on the board after a missed deal with by Vertafeuille. Newtown Police gained 4-1.
“I’m very grateful to our beneficiant sponsors and everybody who donated and helped promote this occasion. We cherished working with UConn PD on this. These guys are class acts they usually stepped up with out hesitation. We had an excellent turnout, together with some Greatest Buddies and Mixed Sports activities members from EO Smith Excessive College,” stated Chapman.
“To date we now have raised over $11,000 for Particular Olympics and the donations simply preserve coming in. I used to be additionally extremely happy with the trouble proven by the Newtown-New Fairfield and EO Smith-Tolland gamers. They performed an excellent recreation and put the whole lot on the ice,” added Chapman. “As an EO Smith Alum, this occasion is a superb intersection of two communities that I maintain expensive. The occasion is creating a variety of pleasure and I feel it has an excellent future.”
The hyperlink to donate will stay open benderclassicochkey.com. The Newtown Police Division will maintain two extra annual occasions to profit Particular Olympics later within the 12 months: the Penguin Plunge and Tip-a-Cop.
The Newtown-New Fairfield hockey group was coming off a 5-1 win over visiting Suffield-Granby-Windsor Locks co-op Jan. 4 on the Danbury Ice Area. Adrian Wadwah had two objectives and an help, whereas Sebastian Cilia had one purpose. construct one other one. Gio Cucco and Cam Gouveia each scored and assisted. Ryan Anderson, Blake Ballard, Alex Schmidt and Eddie Faircloth had assists. Garrett McCollam scored the profitable purpose.
Sports activities editor Andy Hutchison might be reached at andyh@thebee.com.
The Bender Traditional to lift cash for Particular Olympics was held between durations of the Newtown-New Fairfield hockey recreation towards EO Smith-Tolland on Jan. 7 in Storrs. Pictured from left: Newtown Officer Pete Wlasuk, Officer Matt Hayes and Sergeant William Chapman (all the Newtown Police Division), Renee Dinino (iheart Media who supported the occasion), K9 Tildy, UConn Officers Dean Vertefeuille, Invoice Funk and Rene Rivera and K9 Handler Sgt. Justin Cheney.
Sergeant William Chapman, heart, and Officer Matt Hayes compete towards UConn Officer Invoice Funk. -photo courtesy of Brittany Kowalski
Newtown’s Peter Wlasuk, left, and UConn’s Dean Vertefeuille compete throughout a fundraising recreation. -photo courtesy of Matt Schoen
