SAVE OF THE DAY FOUNDATION KICKS OFF 15TH ANNIVERSARY WITH NEW INITIATIVE
Nov 5, 2017In honor of both the Comets fifth season and the fifteenth anniversary of the Rob Esche Save of the Day Foundation, the two entities are partnering together to bring smiles to the faces of a member of our Comets family who need some extra love and support this season.
The Save of the Day ‘Star of the Game’ initiative will run throughout the duration of the Comets 2017-18 season, and will serve as an opportunity for Comets fans to help make someone’s day a little brighter. At a select number of games throughout the season, there will be a special Save of the Day ‘Star of the Game’ – a child going through a life-threatening illness, a serviceman or woman serving overseas, a local resident in need of some cheering up, or anyone else predetermined by the Comets staff. During that game, there will be a table in the concourse where Comets fans can make a minimum donation of $5 to Save of the Day in order to fill out a postcard that will be delivered to that individual. Comets fans can write any heartfelt message they want, and simply drop the postcard in the Comets mailbox. The cards will be packaged together and hand-delivered by a Comets player, when possible. If hand-delivery is not possible, the cards will be packaged together and mailed to the ‘Star of the Game’ immediately following the end of the game.
The goal of the Save of the Day ‘Star of the Game’ program is to unite as a Comets family of players, coaches, staff, and fans, in order to brighten someone’s day. The impact of receiving hundreds of personal postcards in the mail will hopefully be something that these stars of the game will never forget.
“Our goal for this initiative is to use our captured game day audience to band together to show our support for someone in need,” said Comets President Robert Esche. “The simple gesture of taking five minutes to fill out a postcard, one that will be received as one of hundreds, has the ability to completely alter the mindset of someone going through hardships.”
Friday, November 10: Private First Class Zachery Rosenberger
Save of the Day’s ‘Star of the Game’ initiative will kick off with the Comets’ Military Night on Friday, November 10. Private First Class Zachery Rosenberger is a native of Herkimer, NY, who is currently stationed overseas with the United States Army in Iraq. Private First Class Rosenberger graduated from Herkimer High School in 2014 and attended Johnson and Wales University before enlisting in the Army in 2015. When on American soil, Private First Class Rosenberger is an Infantryman assigned to the 2nd Battalion 4th Infantry Regiment at Fork Pol, LA. Fans will be able to fill out a military-themed Comets postcard at a table in the concourse throughout Military Night. The package of postcards will be sent out to First Class Rosenberger immediately following the game.
Wednesday, November 22: Diana Donnarumma
The second and last ‘Star of the Game’ for the month of November is Diana Donnarumma, a native of Clarence, New York. Cousin of Comets VP of Communications Lindsay Mogle, Donnarumma, 25, graduated from the University of Miami before returning to Upstate New York due to her illness. She was diagnosed with Global Intestinal Dysmotility, which is caused by an autoimmune disease, and causes entire digestive tract to be non-functional; she has not been able to have oral nutrition for over two years. On October 23, after months on the waitlist, doctors informed Donnarumma that they had found her a transplant match; the next day, on October 24, doctors performed a successful small and large intestine transplant – a surgery that has only been performed 600 times in history. Donnarumma is now in recovery, where she will be for another six months. Fans will be able to fill out postcards for Donnarumma at the Comets game on Wednesday, November 22. Lindsay Mogle will personally deliver the postcard package to her cousin shortly following the game.
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The Save of the Day ‘Star of the Game’ recipients for the 2017-18 season will be announced on the first of each month. If you have someone you would like to suggest as the Star of the Game, please e-mail Chelsa Adams at chelsaadams@uticacomets.com with more information about the individual in need.
Additionally, if you or your business would like to purchase a larger quantity of postcards prior to game day to increase the overall impact, please contact Chelsa Adams with your request, and we will be sure to accommodate.