Kent's ShoWare Center event the site of success

The Seattle Thunderbirds and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington & Alaska announced that the 11th Annual Hockey Challenge, held Saturday at Kent's ShoWare Center, raised $95,000 for RMHC.

"The House is thrilled with the success of the event. It's been a great 11-year partnership and we couldn't ask for better partners than the T-Birds," said Dianna Finnerty, executive director of RMHC. "We are thankful for the participation of all the teams and their fundraising efforts."

"The Challenge is such an important event for us," said Colin Campbell, T-Birds vice-president. "We look forward to the challenge every year and know that our partnership with RMHC is providing assistance to numerous families staying at the Seattle Ronald McDonald House."

There were five games played at the challenge on Saturday. The first three games were played by six teams from various Microsoft divisions. The T-Birds vs. Portland Winter Hawks game followed the Microsoft games, and the event was capped off by the Celebrity All-Star Game, featuring among others Kelly Tysland, formerly Kelly Stephens, a member of the 2006 U.S. Women's Olympic hockey bronze-medal team.

Hockey teams are formed by sponsors that raise money to play in the challenge. All proceeds from the challenge directly support operations of the Seattle Ronald McDonald House, which provides a "home-away-from-home" for children and their families during medical treatment, . Last year the Seattle Ronald McDonald House provided accommodations for 800 families.

Over the past 11 years the Hockey Challenge has raised over $3.5 million for the Seattle Ronald McDonald House.

This was the first year that the Hockey Challenge took place in the T-Birds new home, Kent's ShoWare Center.

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