18th Annual "Skate with the Greats" Event Raises Nearly Three Quarters of a Million Dollars for Ronald McDonald House® New York

NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A mild winter evening at New York City's famed Rockefeller Center rink served as the backdrop for the 18th Annual Skate with the Greats charity event to benefit Ronald McDonald House^® New York. The event raised over $700,000 to help families battling pediatric cancer, surpassing last year's effort by over $100,000 through a robust live auction and the introduction of a raffle for a brand new SUV.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120223/NY58563 )

Current Rangers players Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Mike Rupp and John Mitchell were joined by alumni greats including Rod Gilbert and Brian Leetch – who have both been major supporters of the House both on the ice and off – who helped to introduce the event 18 years ago. The Rangers participation is made possible through a partnership with the Garden of Dreams Foundation, a non-profit charity that works closely with the Rangers and all areas of The Madison Square Garden Company to make dreams come true for children facing the devastation of a cancer diagnosis. 

This year's event was generously sponsored by RBC Capital Markets, the 11th largest investment bank globally. "At RBC, giving back to the communities in which we live and work has long been an important part of our culture," said Mark Standish, president & co-CEO of RBC Capital Markets. "As we continue to expand our presence in the U.S., particularly here in New York, we're happy to have partnered with Ronald McDonald House® New York for the past five years." 

The estimated 900 people who attended, including families staying at the House, participated in ice skating with the Rangers on the iconic Rockefeller Center rink; a live and silent auction with items provided by the New York Rangers and RBC Capital Markets; a raffle for a brand new Honda Pilot SUV; and an autograph session with some of the Rangers greats.

"This annual fundraising event pairs an iconic NY sports team with a favorite American pastime to generate much needed funds for these families in crisis," said William T. Sullivan, president & CEO of Ronald McDonald House^® New York.  "Skate with the Greats is one of our largest and most important fundraising efforts and it would not be possible without the generous support of RBC Capital Markets and, of course, the New York Rangers who are the heart and soul of this event year after year."

Over the past 18 years, Skate with the Greats has helped raise more than $7 million for Ronald McDonald House^® New York. Since its founding, more than 25,000 families have stayed at Ronald McDonald House^® New York.

About Ronald McDonald House New York

Ronald McDonald House® New York provides temporary housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families in a strong, supportive and caring environment which encourages and nurtures the development of child-to-child and parent-to-parent support systems.  Ronald McDonald House New York is the largest facility of its type in the world. The House can accommodate 84 families, and it is filled to capacity almost every night. The House's location in Manhattan, in close proximity to 13 major cancer treatment centers, draws children and families from across the country and the world, as well as from the metropolitan New York City area.  Since its founding, more than 25,000 families have stayed at Ronald McDonald House New York.  For more information, visit www.rmh-newyork.org.

About the Garden of Dreams Foundation

The Garden of Dreams Foundation is a nonprofit charity that works closely with all areas of The Madison Square Garden Company, including the New York Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG Network, MSG Entertainment and Fuse to "make dreams come true for children facing obstacles". Garden of Dreams partners with local children's hospitals, "wish" organizations and community-based organizations to build on-going, unforgettable programs for children in the tri-state area who are suffering from devastating illness, homelessness, abuse, hunger, extreme poverty and tragedy. 

About the New York Rangers Hockey Club

The Madison Square Garden Company is a fully-integrated sports, media and entertainment business. The company is comprised of three business segments: MSG Sports, MSG Media and MSG Entertainment, which are strategically aligned to work together to drive the company's overall business, which is built on a foundation of iconic venues and compelling content that the company creates, produces, presents and/or distributes through its programming networks and other media assets. MSG Sports consists of owning and operating sports franchises, including the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the New York Liberty (WNBA), and the Connecticut Whale (AHL). MSG Sports also features the presentation of a wide variety of live sporting events including professional boxing, college basketball, track and field and tennis, as well as MSG Action Sports, an action sports and lifestyle division. MSG Media is a leader in production and content development for multiple distribution platforms, including content originating from MSG's venues. MSG Media consists of the MSG Networks (MSG, MSG Plus, MSG HD and MSG Plus HD) regional sports networks and the Fuse Networks (Fuse and Fuse HD), a national television network dedicated to music. MSG Entertainment is one of the country's leaders in live entertainment. MSG Entertainment creates, produces and/or presents a variety of live productions, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio City Rockettes. MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts other live entertainment events such as concerts, family shows and special events in MSG's diverse collection of venues. These venues include Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the Chicago Theatre and the Wang Theatre. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.

About RBC Capital Markets

RBC Capital Markets is the corporate and investment banking arm of RBC and is ranked as the 11th largest investment bank globally. With over 6,000 employees, RBC Capital Markets is a premier global investment bank and is active from its 75 offices in 15 countries in Investment Banking, Fixed Income & Currencies, Equities, Commodities, and Research. Major hubs include: New York, Toronto, London, Hong Kong, Calgary, Tokyo and Sydney. RBC Capital Markets is part of the Royal Bank of Canada, the 4th largest bank in North America by market capitalization and the largest financial institution in Canada, the country deemed the soundest financial system in the world by the World Economic Forum for the past four years. For more information, please visit www.rbccm.com.

Contact:
Weber Shandwick
Nicole Pickens
212.445.8163
[email protected]

SOURCE Ronald McDonald House New York