Seventy veterans and family members took center ice Feb. 20 as Livingston County Veteran Services partnered with SUNY Geneseo hockey for the third annual “Veteran Appreciation Knight.”
The event took place at Ira S. Wilson Arena during the Ice Knights’ matchup against SUNY Brockport.
Veterans and their families received a tailgate dinner, game tickets and commemorative gifts, including custom hockey pucks and player trading cards.
The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard presented the flags during the national anthem. Marine Corps veteran Adam Pritchard of Nunda joined both teams at center ice for the ceremonial puck drop.
The game also featured the “Bronzed Boots” trophy, a traveling prize created from the combat boots of Veteran Services Director David Terry. Terry wore the boots during basic training, a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and while serving aboard the USS Enterprise.
Brockport defeated Geneseo 3-2 and will keep the trophy until the teams meet again next year.
“During the game we honor all veterans present, but the magic of veteran support happens pre-game,” Terry said. “The peer time veterans spend together during the tailgate dinner is powerful. It’s where families meet veterans who share a love for the sport, find common ground, and learn about valuable veteran resources they may not have known existed.”
The evening also raised more than $3,500 for local veterans. The Ice Knights wore military-themed jerseys that were auctioned off in a silent bid fundraiser. Terry said the auction is the largest annual donation his office receives.
“The funds have helped support local families in emergency situations, helping with everything from utility bills, to medical and grocery expenses,” he said. “We have used these funds to pay for rent and find emergency housing needs. It has provided tremendous support locally.”
During the second intermission, elected officials recognized the Livingston County Veteran Services Agency for receiving the 2025 “Best of the Best” in Veteran Services for the GLOW region in a poll conducted by the Batavia Daily News & Livingston County News. Assemblywoman Andrea Bailey presented the office with a New York State Assembly Citation, and Sen. Pam Helming provided a recorded congratulatory message.
Terry said the county once had the highest per-capita veteran suicide rate in New York. Since launching peer support programming and hosting outreach events such as the hockey game, Livingston County recorded no veteran suicides from 2023 through 2025.
“That’s what this is all about,” Terry said. “Building a safe place of community, providing resources, and letting every veteran know they are not alone.”
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