Over $24,000 raised on 24 Foundation jersey night
January 17, 2005 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Lubbock Cotton Kings News Release
LUBBOCK, TX â Lubbock Cotton Kings forward and player-assistant, Paul Fioroni, announced today his 24 Foundation raised $20,407 on Saturday night.
The money was raised from both a live and silent jersey auction, crowd donations collected by Levelland Lobos football players, tickets purchased in section 218 and the auction of a 24 Foundation die-cast semi-truck and a team quilt. All proceeds were given to the foundation that was set up to assist Jeremy Green, a paralyzed Levelland football player.
"I really wanted us to raise $25,000 for Jeremy," said Fioroni. "We already had about $6,000 in the bank entering the night and we were overwhelmed with the turnout. Support in Lubbock and Levelland was awesome and we all came together to meet our goal."
Fioroni was pleased with the live jersey auction where six jerseys combined to auction for $15,000. He would also like to personally thank all of the buyers and bidders in the auction â without their generosity, the lofty figure above would not have been met.
"Several local businesses in Levelland combined to sponsor the jerseys and that means all the money raised from the auction Saturday went right into the fund," said Fioroni. "Levelland businesses really came to the forefront on Saturday night and showed their generosity. There was even a gentleman that donated $100 to the $14,900 raised in the auction to make it an even $15,000. Joe Dee Brooks in Levelland even purchased my jersey for $4,000 and donated it back to be re-auctioned."
The jerseys were sponsored fully by the Levelland Area Chamber of Commerce, Pack & Mail, Paul Musselwhite Trucking Co., Jay Boudreaux Insurance, Allied Oilfield Machine and Pump, Sounds of the Heart â Cactus Drive Church of Christ, Area Wide Medical, College Avenue Animal Clinic, Farmers Insurance Group, Smith South Plains â Levelland, Rich and Wanda Lawless at Tri-Care Medical, American Express Financial Advisors, Kerry and Mary Siders, Amazing Space, AIM Bank, Les Wilks and Eagle Rubber & Supply. Thanks so much for your donations!
"We are definitely not done raising money for Jeremy," said Fioroni. "We just hope this night will really pick up momentum for the foundation and get us to our new goal of $40,000."
Fans are invited to attend future games and if requested, a ticket in section 218 will automatically generate a $2 donation from the Lubbock Cotton Kings to the 24 Foundation. 24 Foundation hats and shirts can be purchased at the Advanced Graphix booth at every home game this season with a portion of the proceeds going to the foundation. Fioroni also has plans for a casino night and bowling tournament in the spring to end the fundraising with a bang.
Fioroni (Fur-OWN-ee), 6-3, 230-pounds was the first forward signed by Kings Head Coach Chris Dashney for the the 2004-05 season. He was also the first veteran spot filled by the team. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Fioroni joined the Cotton Kings for the last nine games of the 2000-01 season before the team advanced to the Cup Finals against the eventual champs, the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs.
Fioroni, 28, led the Cotton Kings scoring charge last season with 14 goals and 54 points. Fioroni also had 150 penalty minutes and was one of two players who skated in all 64 games with the Kings last season.
Fioroni enters his eighth year as a pro and has 74 goals and 232 points in 415 games. Fioroni has three seasons with over 200 penalty minutes but has become more of a point-producer in recent years. In the last two years with the Kings, Fioroni has 34 goals compared to the five previous seasons where he had 40 combined. With over 260 games played as a professional, Fioroni is considered a veteran by the Central Hockey League and fills one of the four possible vet spots on the Kings roster. Fioroni is the first player signed this year by the Cotton Kings and the first returning player from last year's team. Fioroni currently has seven goals and 14 points in 32 games this season.
Fioroni was a runner-up last season to Don Parsons as the CHL's Man of the Year. Fioroni is actively involved in both the Cotton King's "Stick With Reading" program and with Hockey Ministries International, and combined with teammate Dave MacIntyre to form the "Mac-a-Roni" Fund to benefit Brett Wallrath's family, who was fatally injured by an impaired driver.
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