Seventh annual game to be all-star event with former Patriots player
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

For the seventh year running, the members of the staff of the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional Schools and Cushing Academy will face off against local and state police officers.

They play each other in the Seventh Annual Ashburnham- Westminster Community Benefit Hockey Game on Saturday, March 29, to help raise money for Rachel Lee, a fourth-grader at John R. Briggs Elementary School in Ashburnham, who has an inoperable brain tumor.

This year, as the teams take each other on, a new but not unfamiliar face will be in the crowd.

Former New England Patriots player Joe Andruzzi is expected to attend the game.

David Napolitano wrote a letter asking Andruzzi for a signed photo or piece of memorabilia to include in this year's auction. Napolitano said he thought of Andruzzi, who suffered from non-Hodgkins lymphoma (the same type of cancer as Napolitano's wife had) and befriended a young man named C.J. Buckley in 2002 before Buckley died from inoperable brain cancer.

Napolitano said after he wrote to Andruzzi, the football player called, and after chatting for a while with both Napolitano and his wife, asked where and when should he show up.

"It's an inspiration in itself," he said.

Former NHL and Olympic hockey players Scott Young and Ted Crowley are scheduled to join the police team again this year.

Their appearances are what Uminiski credits for the teachers' losing record against the police officers.

Also expected at the event are Worcester Tornadoes' Twister mascot, their Coach Dave Smith and some players, as well as the mascot Finz from the Worcester Sharks. The pre-game ceremony will be by the Worcester Pipes and Drums, and Shanna Jackman of the Upton Police Department. The Chuck-A-Puck Contest, a figure skating exhibition and an on-ice Scooter Race featuring local police and firefighters will all be returning.

"I think it's going to be a very nice night," Leslie Lee said. "They always put a lot of work into it. I find it inspiring."

David Uminiski, Jason Wetherbee and Napolitano started as the three main organizers of the event and now the group is large and "it just runs itself," said Wetherbee.

"It's just a great network of friends," he said.

The event costs nothing to put on, so all of the money goes directly to the family.

"It's a real charity event," said Napolitano.

"We heard about [Rachel's situation] and we felt terrible," said Uminiski, one of the event organizers. "You feel like you want to do something to help and we are lucky that we have this vehicle to do that."

The goals of the benefit committee are to raise enough money to help offset the cost of Rachel's treatments.

The Lees said the money will probably go to helping pay for some of the medical and nutritional supplements and the organic food that insurance does not pay for, as well as co-pays and other medical bills.

The family does not know what the cost is going to be because of the ongoing treatment, and the fact the hospitals and insurance company "takes so long to bill you," said Leslie Lee.

Cushing Academy donates all of the ice time and the use of the arena for the day, as well as the staff to help run the event.

Local pizza shops and the Ashburnham- Westminster Youth Hockey League donate the food for the concession stands, and everybody donates their time.

This year Northeast Promotions and Apparel is donating uniforms for the police officers and their team to wear. Wetherbee said the teachers have always worn the Oakmont jerseys, so now his team - the Ashburnham Westminster Blue Liners - will have an official logo as well.

The game starts at 5 p.m. at the Iorio Arena on the campus of Cushing Academy.

Tickets are available at Wine and Spirits in Ashburnham, Oakmont Regional High School, John R. Briggs Elementary in Ashburnham, Westminster Elementary School and the Westminster Police Department. Tickets cost $5 and people are encouraged to purchase game tickets prior to the game, as there will be a limited number available at the door.

Any donation checks should be made out to Rachel Lee and sent to the Athol Savings Bank, Ashburnham Branch, Main