LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Bryan Benway,

LAREDO, TX- The Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League announced that they will donate $10,000 to Wings if the January 29th “Pink in the Rink” game at the LEC is sold out. This is the second year in a row that the Bucks will hold this event with WINGS.

WINGS (Women Involved in Nurturing, Giving, Sharing) is a non-profit organization that provides top-quality, comprehensive breast cancer treatment services to uninsured and underinsured breast cancer patients. WINGS has served Central and South Texas for over nine years, and now, WINGS Laredo is the newest chapter to bring these life-saving services directly to the women and men of Laredo.

“Everyone’s life has been affected in some way by breast cancer“, said Bucks President/General Manager and Head Coach Terry Ruskowski. “This game is for a great cause, and we know the City of Laredo, and Bucks fans will be behind us all the way to sell this game out”.

Since January of 2009 the Bucks have had a part in helping raise over $24,000 for WINGS, including donating a total $13,200 from the team themselves.

At this year’s “Pink in the Rink” game the Bucks will once again wear pink jersey’s, and will hold a “pink out” during the game, where they will ask fans to wear pink to support the cause.

Last season the Bucks donated $30,000 thanks to large crowds at the LEC. On January 9th the Bucks donated $10,000 to WINGS thanks to 6,500 fans in attendance, while on April 1st the Bucks donated $10,000 each to the South Texas Food Bank and Sacred Heart Children’s Home after 6,527 fans attended the Bucks “Pack the House for Charity” game. Laredo Energy and Border Lease offered $5 tickets for the second season in a row that night.

During game one of the 2008 Playoffs the Bucks, along with Laredo Energy and Border Lease offered $5 tickets to benefit South Texas Food Bank, and Sacred Heart Children Home. 7,987 fans packed the LEC, and the Bucks donated $10,000 each to South Texas Food Bank and Sacred Heart Children Home.

The first “Pack the House for Charity” game was held on March 9, 2007, when the LEC was sold out with 8,002 fans. Thanks to the sell out crowd the Bucks donated $10,000 to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes).

“When we have held events like this in the past, the fans and the City have responded tremendously”, Ruskowski said. “Let’s do it again Laredo”.

*ABOUT WINGS LAREDO*

With the support of the local medical community, WINGS Laredo provides FREE services to uninsured and underinsured breast cancer patients, including diagnostic mammograms, surgical biopsies, chemotherapy and radiation, surgery, laboratory testing, reconstructive surgery, medications, prosthesis and medical care. In short, WINGS Laredo will pay the cost of every medical need that a breast cancer patient will need, so that he or she can concentrate on their cure and not the financial burdens associated.

WINGS Laredo is able to provide these services at no cost to breast cancer patients by negotiating reduced medical rates from various medical providers, not only in Laredo, but throughout Central and South Texas. WINGS Laredo will pay these reduced rates directly to the medical providers. Currently, there are over 240 physicians and medical facilities participating in the WINGS program. Local doctors and facilities offering their services at these reduced rates include Dr. Gary Unzeitig (breast surgery), Dr. Eduardo Miranda, Dr. Cesar Tula, and Dr. Andres Soriano (medical oncology), Dr. Manuel Jovel and Dr. Sylvia Gutierrez (radiation oncology), Dr. Gus Ramos (pathology) and Dr. Winder Vasquez (pulmonology). Facilities include both Doctors Hospital of Laredo and Laredo Medical Center. To date, four Laredo women have benefitted from WINGS’ services, and with the community’s help, dozens more will be given this essential assistance.