The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Vernon Ellinger as the 16th Lightning Community Hero this season during the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Ellinger, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Heroes program will donate the money to the Friends of Joshua House Foundation, The Crisis Center, Children’s Dream Fund and the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
Ellinger breaks down during his interview on AM Tampa Bay what made him decide to get involved with charities in the first place.
Ellinger becomes the 427th Lightning Community Heroes since Jeff and Penny Vinik introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through this evening's game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $22.3 million to more than 750 different nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area.