Knights captain helps out local charity through popular show

Golden Knights captain Mark Stone and “The Pat McAfee Show” partnered Tuesday for an announcement that made one local charity ecstatic.

McAfee, a former NFL punter and host of the popular streaming show, said during the Knights’ run to a Stanley Cup championship he’d donate $250,000 to a charity of Stone’s choice if the team won it all.

Stone, a regular guest during the playoffs, hopped back on the program Tuesday to announce he’d like the money to go to the Cure 4 The Kids Foundation, a Las Vegas-based organization that researches and treats childhood cancer and other diseases.

Knights players and staff have lent a helping hand to the organization before, visiting patients and giving out gifts during the holidays. Stone and his wife, Hayley, even asked their wedding guests to consider donating to the Cure 4 The Kids Foundation in lieu of a gift.

“We’ve done a lot of stuff with them,” Stone said. “It’s a special place, not only for me but for my teammates, our spouses and the organization.”

Cure 4 The Kids Foundation CEO and founder Annette Logan-Parker said the organization was “absolutely thrilled” to learn about the donation. The charity will decide how the money gets spent, and is still thinking through options. It could boost its care and research efforts, or go into its “Charity Care Program” that helps uninsured or underinsured children get treatment.

“You don’t see $250,000 surprise contributions often so we’re just grinning from ear to ear,” Logan-Parker said. “We’re so excited. We can’t wait to tell the kids in the clinic where it came from. They love the Vegas Golden Knights.”

McAfee may not also be done opening his wallet.

He told Stone he was willing to raise the stakes with the Knights attempting to be the third team in the NHL’s salary-cap era to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. He said if the team wins a second consecutive championship, he’ll donate $500,000 to charity next year.

“This is a good thing,” McAfee said. “I’m very thankful you guys won the Stanley Cup and we’re getting to do this.”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.