Leo Pawlika (’17) is organizing an event called Pucks for Pride at the Hackensack Ice House to fundraise for the LGBT community.  Participants can register to play in one of the three simultaneous hockey games or take part in a silent auction.

To participate in a hockey game, players must pay a fee of $35. There will be one game of middle school players and two games of combined high school students, college students and adults.

“I think that Leo’s idea to combine hockey and the fundraiser is a great idea,” Peter Cassidy (’17) said. “I’m excited to play for such a good cause and especially be apart of a fundraiser hosted by one of my really good friends.”

The event takes place on Sunday, May 22 from 2 to 5:30pm.

The money fundraised will go towards the Gender and Family Project of the Ackerman Institute. This organization inspires, educates, and provides gender affirmative services to promote gender identity not as a choice, but an individual struggle.

“Our family has worked with the Gender and Family Project a lot over the past year or two and they have been a big to help us, so I just felt that if I had the power to do something to give back I should,” Pawlika said.

Pawlika started planning the event in early January. He is very grateful to the Ice House for donating ice time and allowing him to hold the entire event in their building. Other than the Ice House, other donations include items for the silent auction and monetary donations.

“I can definitely see myself doing something in the future to benefit this cause again. They provide help for transgender kids and their families, they hold group meetings and personal training sessions and they also go to schools to educate teachers and faculty,” Pawlika said. “They honestly do everything they can for those with gender identity disorder and my family especially couldn’t be more appreciative.”