The season of giving was in full effect at UBS Arena on Monday night.
In partnership with KiDS NEED MoRE, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those dealing with cancer or serious illness, the Islanders Children’s Foundation treated 28 families to tickets for Monday’s contest against the Buffalo Sabres.
Before the Isles skated, the families did, as Northwell Presents The Park at UBS Arena provided the perfect holiday backdrop before the game, before heading inside to watch the game. Madeleine Crawford took her grandchildren, ages seven through nine, who had some pregame fun on the ice.
“This is their first time ice skating, and they loved it,” Crawford said. “They had a good time and braved it out and skated without support. We had a great time.”
The night of positivity and cheer went a long way. Rachel Berg and her husband, Dan, both work in health care and will each have long shifts on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, respectively, so Monday’s Islanders game was their main event as a family during the holiday season.
“It’s definitely a great way to kick off the holiday,” Berg said. “These are the best seats we’ve ever had. It’s a nice bonus to spend the night here together.”
Berg’s nine-year-old daughter Layla endured open heart surgeries when she was four days old, six months old and seven years old, but this is their first holiday season without a hospitalization or an upcoming procedure, so Berg was emotional to celebrate family time and Layla’s resilience at the game.
“We appreciate celebrating her and every milestone in the journey, she’s our hero,” Berg said. “Being here is definitely a moment we won’t forget as we head into the holidays, we appreciate it.”
