Liverpool's game against Clinton on Tuesday night helped raised money for the Gleason family.
/ Katie Corrado
BALDWINSVILLE -- The Liverpool High School used their season home opener as an opportunity to raise money for the Gleason family. Audrey Gleason was killed in a car accident on October 21 in Buffalo. Her husband, Dennis, and daughter, Kelly, were seriously injured in the crash. Kelly is a 16-year-old junior at Baker High School in Baldwinsville.
Liverpool hockey player Kyle Broughton spearheaded Tuesday night's fundraiser, which is donating all ticket sales and proceeds from gift basket sales to the Gleason family. "Everyone was completely distraught, and we all just felt like we needed to do something," said Broughton. "And the season ended, so I brought it to the hockey team. And I came up with this idea for the family."
Kyle's teammates supported his idea because what happened to Kelly Gleason hit home. "I know I take my mom for granted," said teammate Dalton Horton. "I can't imagine how she feels not having her mom...I don't know how they can go through it."
Audrey's brother, Dave Przybylak, dropped the puck at the start of Tuesday's game. He was amazed by the support the community has shown his family. "I was shocked," said Przybylak. "It just keeps on going and going and going, things that people are doing. And they're not being forgotten one bit. It's just amazing."
The Liverpool and Baldwinsville schools are normally hockey rivals, but putting together Tuesday night's fundraiser brought them closer together. "Being rivals with sports and stuff, coming together for this one cause really tightens the relationship between us," said Michaela Ennis, one of Kelly's teammates on the Baldwinsville crew team who volunteered at tonight's game.
Liverpool hockey player Dalton Horton perhaps summed up the night best when he said, "This is more than just a hockey game."
