Buck for a Puck raising funds for homeless

A unique fundraiser by a nine-year-old hockey goaltender has grown to raise almost $30,000 with the 2022 portion of the fundraiser getting underway a couple of weeks ago.

The Buck-For-A-Puck To Help The Homeless campaign was started by nine-year-old Sammy Guenther when he and his mom came across a homeless man in Toronto after attending a Maple Leafs game to watch Sammy’s favourite player Marc Andre Fleury, who was playing for Pittsburgh at the time.

The idea was spawned on that day in 2017 and Sammy was determined to get a dollar for every save he made during his hockey games and donate the proceeds to the homeless through the Windsor Downtown Mission and Windsor Street Help.

Now in its sixth year, the fundraiser has grown every year with a total of $2,700 being raised in 2017 and $10,314 being raised last year.

Sammy — now a goalie with the Tecumseh Eagles U15 team — and his mom Susan have now enlisted the help of other goalies across the region and Essex-Southpoint goalies Nolan Meadows and Aiden Pulley have also joined Sammy’s team.

On Sunday, October 9, Sammy was a special guest of the Wheatley Sharks when he suited up before the game and had a photo opportunity with Sharks’ goalies Ethan Handley and Christian Green.

The fundraiser now includes raffles throughout the county and Susan has been reaching out to local businesses for donations to the raffle, which will help bring those total numbers up even further.

“This has generated $29,374 and I am so proud of the community and of Sam,” said Susan.

This year’s campaign runs from October 8 through November 13. You can visit their Facebook and Instagram pages called Buck for A Puck To Help The Homeless or check with local puck-stoppers Aiden Pulley and Nolan Meadows for more information on participating or donating.

Sammy Guenther, middle, with Wheatley Sharks goalies Ethan Handley and Christian Green, just before the Sharks game on Sunday, October 9.