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Members of UNE’s men’s club hockey team have raised $500 to help health care workers in their fight against COVID-19.

The money will be donated to Southern Maine Health Care’s (SMHC) COVID-19 Response Fund.

“Some of the players approached me about a month or so ago and asked me if they could do some sort of fundraiser to help,” said Jimmy Riley, M.S.Ed., coordinator of the first-year experience and men’s club hockey coach.

Originally the players wanted to purchase face masks that hockey equipment company Bauer is making for health care workers. When they learned only health care organizations could purchase them, they decided to donate the money to SMHC’s COVID-19 Response Fund.

Money in the fund is being used to purchase supplies, transform space for COVID-19 patients, and support health care workers who are on the front lines of the pandemic.

The effort was spearheaded by Donald Walk (Medical Biology, ’23) and Tyler Riendeau (Environmental Science, '21).

“Honestly, I have never been prouder of a group of students in general or a team,” Riley stated. “Looking back, they were able to raise $500 in just a few weeks. They were all focused on how they could help others and I think that is amazing.”