William Carrier, a left-wing for the Vegas Golden Knights, scored his career-best 16th goal against Calgary on Feb. 23rd. This important goal was not just a boost to the Golden Knights in their battle against their division rival.
It was also beneficial to local charities, as William Carrier had agreed with Vegas fan Lan Beyster that for every goal he scored, Beyster would grant $1,000 to a charity of his choice.
the franchise’s first season
It’s not William Carrier alone who took on the challenge. Defenseman Daniil Miromanov also accepted the same pledge and scored 11 goals between the NHL & American Hockey League, much to Lan Beyster’s delight.
Lan Beyster expressed her joy with a statement, “William threw the pucks back in my face. It’s fantastic! I couldn’t be more pleased!” Earlier in 2015, Lan Beyster and her husband moved to Las Vegas, eventually becoming Golden Knights fans before the franchise’s first season. In October of last year, Beyster created a Facebook group meant to be a rallying point for other avid supporters; today, it has amassed an incredible 1,700 members.
Among those who joined Lan Beyster’s Facebook group was William Carrier, with the intention of providing tickets to a Las Vegas show. However, William’s chance meeting with Beyster soon developed into a much more meaningful relationship. Since then, William has autographed items for Lan’s raffles at away games, as well as helping to arrange prizes for her end-of-season fundraising event, which benefited charities in the area.
last year’s fundraising event
What began as an occasional conversation quickly became a strong connection between the two. At last year’s fundraising event, funds were donated to FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment) of Southern Nevada, a cause chosen by William Carrier.
Carrier commented that the agreement should not be given too much credit for his success–
“It’s not as effortless as it appears, right?” but he cherished the additional spur. He encountered supporters who were aware of it, and some would even contribute their funds. “It’s just awesome,” Carrier shared. “The way my season has been, it’s so affirmative.”
Miromanov Contribution
Miromanov, who plays defence for the Golden Knights, also joined the initiative with Beyster last year. Despite playing in fewer games than the previous season, he was able to tie his goal total. His remarkable run even saw him score his first two NHL goals in December. He has certainly proven himself a worthy asset for Vegas this season.
The philanthropic initiative will aid Clark County firefighters
Through His effort to score goals this season, Daniil Miromanov is giving back to police officers and the Proud to Rescue Benevolent Fund. The philanthropic initiative will aid Clark County firefighters who are either disabled or retired and their families. He chose these two charities because he feels first responders “deserve more recognition than they get.”
Neither player had ever been offered such a deal before. It was a different kind of arrangement, but one that they were delighted to agree upon. Lan Beyster was overjoyed with the setup and has stated that she will continue to support William Carrier and Daniil Miromanov regardless of the financial burden it might cost her. Both are contracted with the Knights for next season, so all involved can possibly continue the challenge.
William Carrier and Daniil Miromanov’s generous donations to FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment) of Southern Nevada is a prime example of the Golden Knights’ commitment to autism awareness, which has been at the forefront of their community outreach efforts.
