Nicola Minarikova, Michal Kempny’s girlfriend, announced that Stick Together auctions conducted by the Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Coyotes, and New York Rangers raised over $100,000 for coronavirus charities.
Nicola was behind the concept of the auction after initially wanting to individually put up Kempny’s stick for auction.
“I was thinking that I had to do something,” Nicola said in an interview. “I wanted to look back at this crisis one day thinking that I did something good.”
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“Hi, everyone,” Nicola said. “I just want to say quick thank you to everybody who participated in Stick Together auction. We did so so well and I’m really happy about it.”
The Capitals’ Stick Together auction raised $43,715, earning significant bids for game-used sticks of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Braden Holtby, and Tom Wilson. The top auction items included a 2018 Stanley Cup team signed jersey and a team-signed stick.
The @Capitals #StickTogether Auction raised $43,715 for @MSE's #FeedingtheFrontlines fund.
Read more: https://t.co/vs6aT56mWe pic.twitter.com/y1yJnOOsGB
— MSE Foundation (@MSEFndn) May 4, 2020
Star players around the league such as Artemi Panarin and Henrik Lundqvist participated.