By ANDREW BENNETT
Chief Development Officer
Kaleida Health
Football fans know that Firebaugh native and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen will stop at nothing to win on the field. Off the field, he and his family are just as determined to honor the memory of Josh’s grandmother, Patricia.
There was no more vivid example of that commitment than what happened on a rain-soaked Buffalo-area golf course this week.
From before dawn until well after dusk, Josh led a group of committed golfers on a quest to complete 117 holes of play in one day as a fundraiser for John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital (OCH). Josh was joined by his dad, Joel; younger brother, Jason; and mother, LaVonne.
The hospital is dear to the Allen Family. Josh was already a booster of its life-saving mission when, in November 2020, the fans known as Bills Mafia donated more than $1 million to OCH following Patricia Allen’s passing.
That heartfelt outpouring created the Patricia Allen Fund, supporting the Critical Care Team at the hospital. The continuing generosity inspired by that initial act of love has raised millions of dollars and dramatically changed the lives of countless children.
The Allen Family was all-in on this week’s 117 Holes event, held at Crag Burn Golf Club in suburban Buffalo. Along with 15 other golfers, the Allens walked for the entire grueling event.
“We did it for mom,” said Joel Allen, Patricia’s son, who completed all 117 holes with Jason. “This cause honors her memory, so there was no way rain was getting in our way.”
Josh didn’t let practice get in his way. He rallied the golfers at 4:30 a.m., went to workouts with his Bills teammates, then returned to make sure all the golfers made it the end. He was alongside his family the entire time, through more than 40 miles and 500 swings.
For much of the day, the Allens welcomed a special teammate on the course with them.
Jake, an Oishei patient who Josh met during a visit to the hospital last summer, played 37 holes with the family. Josh learned that Jake loved golf, prompting the invitation to join the family. The young man showed off a sweet stroke, including a few birdies on the day.
In all, this one-day event raised $775,000. That includes a $117,000 donation from Josh himself.
“It’s a great cause,” Joel Allen said after the event. “I’m a little sore, but it was worth it.”
For more information on Oishei Children’s Hospital and the Patricia Allen Fund, or to make a donation, visit: Make a Gift | Patricia Allen Fund | The Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Foundation | Buffalo, NY (ochbuffalo.org)
