BETHLEHEM, Pa. – At Bethlehem’s Municipal Ice Rink, it is face off time outdoors.
“This is our 13th year now,” said Joe Guellnitz, Special Hockey of the Lehigh Valley founder.
The energy is high at the Lehigh Valley Winter Classic. It is an all-day event that raises money for the Lehigh Valley Polar Bears, a special needs hockey team for children and young adults.
“It’s awesome. It’s definitely a chilly year this year,” said Guellnitz.
Not cold enough to keep Kieran McMonagle and the rest of the Polar Bears off the ice.
“It was pretty good. It was nice to be back here at Bethlehem Municipal Ice Rink,” said McMonagle.
The Polar Bears went up against the Philly Freeze.
“I was just defending the puck most of the time,” said McMonagle.
Meanwhile, raffles, auctions and donations inside the lobby are raising money to help the Polar Bears and beyond.
“We’ve also helped other programs across the country. I think we’re up to 20 different programs we’ve given starter funds to,” said Guellnitz.
It is a game everyone here, including Polar Bears players O’Rion Erney and Gavin Fahler look forward to each year.
Both of them have a favorite part.
“Probably just playing,” said Erney.
“Just playing, getting out on the ice cause now ice time is kind of hard to get,” said Fahler.
Here the impact is felt beyond the buzzer.
“The community all comes together for us and we couldn’t be more grateful for everything,” said Guellnitz.