GENESEO, N.Y., Feb. 25, 2026 — Livingston County Veteran Services teamed up with the SUNY Geneseo Ice Knights men’s hockey team to host the third annual “Veteran Appreciation Knight” during their Feb. 20 matchup against the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles.
The event, held at the Ira S. Wilson Arena on the SUNY Geneseo campus, honored a combined total of 70 veterans and their family members with a tailgate dinner, game tickets, and commemorative gifts, including custom hockey pucks and Ice Knights player trading cards. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard presented the flags during the national anthem, and local Marine Corps veteran Adam Pritchard of Nunda joined both teams with his family on center ice for the ceremonial pre-game puck drop.
The game featured a hard-fought battle for the "Bronzed Boots" trophy, a traveling prize created from the combat boots of Veteran Services Director David Terry. He wore the boots through basic training, a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and while serving aboard the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier. When the final whistle blew, SUNY Brockport emerged on top securing a 3-2 victory over their DIII rivals. The bronzed boots trophy will remain at SUNY Brockport until the teams meet again next year.
“During the game we honor all veterans present, but the magic of veteran support happens pre-game,” said Terry. “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.”
Among those resources available is the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program, a New York State initiative focused on reducing isolation among veterans through peer-to-peer connection. The night’s activities were sponsored in part through the program, which offers peer-to-peer support, recreational events, wellness activities, and more for area servicemembers, veterans and their families.
Beyond the action on the ice, the evening offered an opportunity to celebrate the County’s veteran support efforts. 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 (Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties). The award came from a region-wide poll conducted by the Batavia Daily News & Livingston County News. Assemblywoman Andrea Bailey of the 133rd Assembly District presented the office with a New York State Assembly Citation during intermission, while Senator Pam Helming provided a video message played on the arena jumbotron congratulating the Veteran Services staff for their dedication to the region’s servicemembers.
The night also served as a major fundraiser for local veterans. The Ice Knights wore military-inspired jerseys for the game, which they put up for bid in a silent auction that raised more than $3,500 to support veterans in need. Terry said each year the auction is the largest 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 explained. “We have used these funds to pay for rent and find emergency housing needs. It has provided tremendous support locally. The jerseys are donated from Special Tees in Geneseo and I’m proud to say that every penny raised is directly serving veterans in need.”
Terry spoke with veterans at the tailgate dinner before the game describing some of the services offered through the County. He also highlighted success stories, noting that at one point, Livingston County had the highest rate of veteran suicide in New York per capita. Since beginning Veteran Peer Support programming and hosting events like this hockey game, Livingston County went three consecutive years without a veteran suicide from 2023 to 2025.
“That's what this is all about,” said Terry. “Building a safe place of community, providing resources, and letting every veteran know they are not alone. For me the magic is not just the event itself but the aftermath. It’s the community seeing the power of veteran peer support working at its best. It shines in our County where this is possible because of our amazing team at Livingston County Veteran Services Agency, including Veteran Engagement Specialist Bob Wolter, Deputy Director Darren Hamilton, and Account Clerk Typist Sara McDonald.”
For more information on upcoming veteran events or to access services, please visit www.livcovets.com or contact the Veteran Services Agency at 585-243-7090.
If you are in crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Lifeline provides free, confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Support through the Lifeline is also available via live chat.
Stay up-to-date with the latest news, events, and more by following Livingston County on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Livingston County Veteran Services:
The Livingston County Veteran Services Agency provides local veterans and their families with assistance in obtaining earned benefits, peer support, and community-based resources to enhance their quality of life.
About Livingston County:
Founded in 1821, Livingston County, N.Y., is home to more than 61,000 residents in 17 towns located across 631 square miles of the Finger Lakes region.