'Leave our friend alone': Thousands donate to Ten Lives Club for Bills kicker Tyler Bass
BLASDELL, N.Y. (WIVB) — After the Buffalo Bills lost in heartbreaking fashion Sunday night, fans have stepped up and donated to their favorite players' charities. While some fans chose to be critical of kicker Tyler Bass after he missed the game-tying field goal with less than two minutes left in the game, others began supporting the Ten Lives Club.
The shelter received more than $25,000 dollars in donations on Monday, with more than $15,000 coming in through a Facebook Fundraiser where they encouraged Bills fans to not be so critical of their friend.
"Leave our friend alone. He's a great guy. He's a good person and we think you should leave him alone," Kimberly LaRussa, public relations manager for Ten Lives Club, said. "We're Tyler Bass' biggest fans here at Ten Lives Club. It's not every day that a celebrity that helps out an organization, and he is a celebrity that does."
The organization is a nonprofit, non-kill cat adoption group that aims to find cats their fur-ever home. When you walk into their Blasdell adoption center, Bass' photo proudly hangs on the wall.
Bass participated in the nonprofit's Show Your Soft Side campaign, promoting animal wellness and compassion. He chose to support Ten Lives Club and cat adoptions after several other athletes chose to support dog shelters. His photo features a Ten Lives Club cat.
"When the Show your Soft Side campaign came out, a lot of the athletes wanted to help the dogs, but Tyler said, 'No, I want to help the cats.' He's just a really nice person and we're really grateful the community is stepping up right now to help our rescue cats," LaRussa added.
Because Bass wears No. 2 on the field, fans began donating $22 to support him.
Some comments on the organization's website include:
"Tyler, don’t let the haters get you down! The REAL mafia will *always* have your back! Thanks for all you’ve done for the team & the community!" from Maryah.
"I love Tyler Bass, I love Scott Norwood, I love cats, I love the Buffalo Bills." from Bill.
"Keep your head up, Tyler! Thanks for all the great work you do!" from an anonymous donor.
The organization says all of the money raised will stay in Western New York to provide more resources to local animals that are trying to find their new home. The rescue takes in all types of cats no matter their circumstances with no donations to support them. The funds will benefit direct care for cats and kittens.
"In Western New York, we're always excited for any of the charities that get donations on behalf of Bills Mafia, but it usually isn't Ten Lives Club," LaRussa added. "To see that our rescue cats will be helped now because of this generosity is incredible."
To donate to the Ten Lives Club, you can visit their website here. If you would like to adopt a feline friend of your own, you can visit the organization's website.
"We just hope Tyler knows how thought of he is at Ten Lives Club and how much our supporters love him and are rooting for him," LaRussa concluded.