The Golden Knights will provide more than 7,500 meals to doctors, nurses and employees at local hospitals in Las Vegas, the team announced Sunday.
The initiative was made possible by donations from the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, and players including William Karlsson, Deryk Engelland and Jon Merrill.
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“Medical professionals throughout Las Vegas are battling this virus on the front lines in an effort to keep our families and community safe. They are true examples of what it means to be a Knight,” foundation president Kim Frank said in a news release. “We’re proud to show our support for those working in health care across the Las Vegas Valley by providing thousands of meals over the coming weeks.”
The team will be providing 300 meals a day, five days a week, to preselected partner local hospitals for the next five weeks, starting Monday. The meals will be prepared by local chefs from MacKenzie River, which is the restaurant inside the Golden Knights practice facility, City National Arena.
The announcement comes only two days after owner Bill Foley’s pledge to donate $1 million to the Nevada COVID-19 Response, Relief and Recovery Task Force.
Foley and the Golden Knights Foundation made the donation to help purchase personal protective equipment such as surgical masks, N95-equivalent CDC-approved respirator masks, gloves and gowns for medical personnel as well as supporting other initiatives in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada.
“We are all in this fight together,” the team said in a news release. “We are beyond grateful for the tireless efforts, courage and compassion that the entire medical community has demonstrated during these challenging times. These contributions will especially support those medical workers on the front lines battling the pandemic here in Nevada. They are true everyday heroes. And just like they support us, we want to support them.”
The Golden Knights aren’t the only ones pitching in to help the city. The NFL’s Raiders, and owner Mark Davis, also donated $1 million to the task force. The UFC, which is headquartered in Las Vegas, made a contribution as well.
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Outside of pro sports, major donations were also made by casino executives like the Fertitta Family Foundation, Elaine P. Wynn and Family Foundation, and the Murren Family Foundation, among others.
As of Friday, the Nevada COVID-19 Task Force announced significant progress in its initial efforts, having raised more than $10 million.
The Golden Knights have also helped Las Vegas residents purchase household items that have been challenging to find through their partnership with Lifeguard Supplies. Nevada residents were able to order items such as toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, tissues, disinfectant spray, miscellaneous cleaning products and to-go food packaging at www.lifeguard4nv.com, then pick the supplies up at City National Arena.
Other players have donated money to help pay T-Mobile Arena employees during the NHL stoppage. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury led the way with a $100,000 donation himself, and the team as a whole has pledged a minimum of $500,000 to assist part-time game day employees and arena hourly on-call staff who were previously scheduled to work the remaining Golden Knights home games through the end of the NHL’s regular season.
“A big part of what makes the Vegas Golden Knights game day experience so memorable is the staff working behind the scenes,” Fleury said in a news release. “As players we truly appreciate all the employees who work so hard in making The Fortress the best place to play in the NHL. They are just as much a part of the Las Vegas community as we are. My family and I hope that these contributions not only help those in need, but also inspire others who are in fortunate positions to step up and find ways to help too. We can’t wait to see the employees and our fans again soon.”
The Golden Knights were initially one of the last NHL teams to announce they would compensate arena employees, but in the last week the team has stepped up in a major way to help Las Vegas through this tough time. From arena employees to residents struggling to find groceries and medical workers needing protective equipment, the organization has found a way to help them all.
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“Knights are the epitome of the warrior class,” Foley said in the release. “Our foundational principles are centered on helping people in need and defending those who cannot defend themselves. Make no mistake, these are uncertain and challenging times, especially here in the great city of Las Vegas. But we are all in this together and we will all persevere together. We hope these contributions can have a positive impact on many of the staff and their families who are affected. We want to do our part.”
(Photo of Gov. Steve Sisolak and Bill Foley in October 2017: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
