What You Need to Know: The Stanley Ponder Cup Tournament & Benefit

Before I explain the tournament, I will explain the reason for the event.

My father, Stan Ponder Sr., was diagnosed with myelofibrosis and myelodysplasia in July of this year. These are rare forms of leukemia that attack the blood cells and make it difficult for new cells to be made. Stan’s only option to fight this disorder was to undergo a bone marrow transplant, which was successfully conducted last Tuesday. However, Stan still faces an uphill battle to fight off the many complications that can come with a bone marrow transplant.

As you may imagine, procedures such as this, as well as the numerous hospital visits, blood transfusions and other spendings, cost a pretty penny. This tournament is to help pay these expensive hospital bills that are accruing every day.

To learn more about his disease and his progress, feel free to visit his GoFundMe page.

Thanks to my good friends Jason and Annie Miller going through the rigors of setting up a tournament/charity event, we are hosting a benefit this coming Saturday at Matteson Square Garden in St. Peters, Mo. There will be five teams, including one captained by yours truly, battling all day and night long in a round-robin format with three playoff games afterwards (the last-place team will not qualify for the playoffs).

This takes a backseat to all of the festivities included in the event, though. While there will be hockey to watch all night, there will be a massive raffle and 50/50 draw going on throughout the afternoon and evening. Below is everything you need to know about the tournament/benefit:

Where: Matteson Square Garden 3051 Industrial Park Place West, St. Peters, Missouri 63376
When: Saturday, Nov. 21 from 3:30 pm – 1 am
Entry Fee: Free
Raffle: Buy as many tickets as you want. CASH is the only acceptable method of payment.
Win any of the following:
  • Paul Stastny XL Home Blues Jersey
  • Vladimir Tarasenko XL Home Blues Jersey
  • Autographed Blues Hockey Cards and Pucks
  • Autographed hockey stick featuring signatures from Oshie, Steen, Eller, McClement, etc.
  • Autographed Scott Mellanby Hockey Stick complete with autographs from other Blues players of his era
  • Copy of Jeremy Rutherford's "100 Things Blues Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die"
  • St. Louis Blues Throw Blanket
  • Let's Go Blues Radio T-Shirt
  • Bundle of assorted hockey related movies on DVD and/or Blu-ray
  • Box of 24 rolls of Hockey Tape from Total Hockey
  • $100 Total Hockey Gift Card
  • Clancy's Irish Pub and Grill (Ellisville, MO) Gift Certificate
  • QT Gift Card
  • $50 Tattoo Gift Certificate to Almighty Studios (Belleville, IL)
  • Meat/Cheese Basket
  • Wine Bottles in various groups/packs to be auctioned off via silent auction
  • Five $20 Imo's Gift Cards
  • Fire Pit with S'mores ingredients and a bottle of Liquor
  • $50 in gift coins to Silky's Frozen Custard
  • Slackers Gift Certificate
Food & Drink: Concession stand will be open for beer, drink and food sales. Although sales here do not directly go to Stan, it does help offset the hit that the facility will be taking in order to accommodate for the event. Cash is encouraged as there will be a “tip jar” that will go to Stan’s funds!
Other Attractions: We will have announcements and music playing throughout the evening.
Schedule of Events: Don’t miss the 3:30 pregame festivities as we have some special stuff planned!

3:30PM: Video Highlighting Stan Ponder's Life
3:37PM: National Anthem performed by the Ambassadors of Harmony
3:42PM: Ceremonial Puck Drop with Mary Ponder (Stan's wife), as well as children Stan Jr, Tanya and Kristi dropping the puck. Faceoff taken by team captains Jeff Ponder and Justin Wilson.
3:50PM: Team Wilson vs Team Ponder
4:25PM: Team Paul vs Team Teasdale
5:00PM: Team Ponder vs Team Hotard
5:35PM: Team Teasdale vs Team Wilson
6:10PM: Raffle Winner #1 and #2 Drawn
6:15PM: Team Paul vs Team Hotard
6:50PM: Team Teasdale vs Team Ponder
7:25PM: Team Wilson vs Team Paul
8:00PM: Raffle Winner #3 and #4 Drawn
8:05PM: Team Hotard vs Team Teasdale
8:40PM: Team Ponder vs Team Paul
9:15PM: Team Hotard vs Team Wilson
9:50PM: Remaining Raffle Winners and 50/50 Winner Drawn
10:00PM: Playoff Game A: 1st Place vs 4th Place
10:35PM: Playoff Game B: 2nd Place vs 3rd Place
11:10PM: Championship Game: Playoff Game A Winner vs Playoff Game B Winner
11:45PM: Scheduled End of Championship Game
1:00AM: Bar Closes

* You must be present to win any raffle. If you must leave early, please get someone who is sticking around to watch your raffle tickets and claim your prize if you should win.

We are encouraging all in attendance to take pictures & video and use the hashtag #FightForStan on Twitter or email them to mrponder@hotmail.com to be used in a video that Stan Sr. can watch while in the hospital.

More information on the tournament can be found here.

 **We are still accepting donations to the raffle. If you work for or know a local business willing to help out, please email Jason Miller at jasonmillersrh@charter.net or Jeff Ponder at jponder94@gmail.com.

If you read this far, I thank you for your consideration in attending our benefit and I hope to see you Saturday!

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