For the 10th and final year, the Gardens Ice House in Laurel is hosting the Leap Towards a Cure hockey tournament from August 3-7, raising money for cancer research, treatment, and education at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD.

The tournament is operated by the Andrea Henderson Memorial Fund, a volunteer-only 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. Every penny of the proceeds from the tournament will support cancer research at the Kimmel Center. Since the tourney’s beginnings, Leap Towards A Cure has raised over $165,000 and counting for the Kimmel Center. This year, the tournament is hoping to hit a goal of over $200,000 in total donations over the course of ten years.

The fund and tournament is named in memory of Andrea “Froggy” Henderson, a former local high school art teacher and varsity hockey team sponsor who lost her battle with breast cancer in April 2010, and whose death inspired the first Leap Towards A Cure tournament a few months later.

The tournament will be held Aug. 1-4 at The Gardens Ice House, in Laurel, MD, featuring several teams of multiple levels in a round robin tournament. Past events have included former NHL players, members of the USA Warriors hockey team, and Olympic gold medalist and NWHL player Haley Skarupa.

On Saturday, August 3, a community festival will be held in tandem with the tournament from 10 am-2 pm featuring free activities, games, and arts and crafts for all ages.

From 1-2 pm on Saturday there will be a Stick-N-Puck session as part of the Community Festival for all who wish to participate. Stick-N-Puck is a chance to bring your friends, young players, significant others, etc., out to the rink and skate in an open format, regardless of experience level. And it is 100% FREE to participate!

A hockey skills competition will take place from 1:30-2:30. The fee to participate is $5 and benefits the fundraiser.

There will also be a silent auction, as well as merchandise for sale.

So this Saturday, come on out to Laurel, enjoy some hockey and free fun, and support a great cause! If you can’t make it but still wish to donate, donations are accepted online. For more information on the event, or to donate, visit leaptowardsacure.com