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Date: July 24, 2025

Contact: Sandy Caligiore, askc@roadrunner.com, 518-637-3597

Uihlein Foundation in Lake Placid becomes the first Founding Member for Monument to a Miracle project

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – In the spirit of its founder Henry Uihlein, the Uihlein Foundation in Lake Placid has agreed to become the first Founding Member at the Miracle level for the Monument to a Miracle initiative. The Monument is planned to be unveiled in February 2030. The project, headed by Friends of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Hockey Team, will pay tribute to the United States Olympic hockey team with a life-sized sculpture of the squad that won an improbable gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The budget for the monument is $5.2 million. The Uihlein Foundation’s contribution marks the first Founding Member of $125,000 at the Miracle level for the 501 (c) (3) not for profit Friends corporation. “Henry Uihlein, who led Lake Placid in becoming an international winter sports mecca as well as bringing the 1932 Winter Games here, would be overjoyed with this concept,” said John Leekley, Chairman of the Uihlein Foundation. “Henry was a proud American, a local pioneer and wholeheartedly believed in Lake Placid’s capabilities in the winter sports arena. We are happy to add Monument to a Miracle to his legacy.” Sculptor Rob Eccleston is creating the depiction of the 20 players who achieved the Miracle on Ice and ensuing Olympic title. Eccleston’s work is centered around the iconic photo of the 20 players gathered on the top rung of the Olympic podium at the awards ceremony after defeating Finland for the gold medal. It will be displayed on the Main Street property owned by the Olympic Regional Development Authority just below the entrance to the Olympic Center where the American team achieved the greatest moment in U.S. sports history. The unveiling is planned to be part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games.

"The generosity of the Uihlein Foundation is a powerful reminder of how deeply the Miracle on Ice continues to resonate more than four decades later,” remarked Jeff Potter, Chair of the Friends of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Hockey Team. “Their commitment as the first Miracle level donor to the Monument to a Miracle campaign brings us one step closer to creating a lasting tribute in Lake Placid — the site of this unforgettable Olympic moment — and preserving the legacy of a team that inspired a nation." Henry Uihlein’s largesse in the Olympic sports world actually pre-dated the 1932 Winter Games. He funded the training of Lake Placid’s Charles Jewtraw, a speedskater who captured the first ever gold medal in the history of the Winter Olympics. It occurred in 1924 in Chamonix, France. The Foundation’s support of the Monument project – and being the first organization to step forward – is a powerful gesture for a man who revered the Olympics. Additionally, Henry Uihlein was an honorary member of the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee. "The Uihlein Foundation’s leadership gift provides tremendous momentum for this campaign,” added Katie Million, Vice Chair of the Friends of the 1980 Miracle on Ice Hockey Team. “It reflects a shared belief in honoring not just a hockey team, but a moment in time that showcased the best of the Olympic spirit. We hope their support inspires others to join us in building this lasting tribute to one of the greatest moments in sports history."

In addition to corporate fundraising, individuals may also get involved at every level of support. Online donations are being accepted at www.paypal.com/fundraiser/charity/3819484. The corporation’s website is www.1980MiracleMonument.org.

For more information and to inquire about any of the giving levels as well as sponsorship opportunities, please call Katie Million (518-524-0985) or Jeff Potter (518-524-0757). You may also email: 1980miraclemonument@gmail.com.

Fans of the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team can follow this initiative on Facebook @1980MonumentToAMiracle

Check out more stories in the news:

VIDEO

ABC News 10 - Albany

https://www.news10.com/top-stories/monument-to-a-miracle/

Erie News Now - 1st segment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0nR38AB35U

Erie News Now - 2nd segment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAIoQfM4_PA

Erie News Now - 3rd segment (including CBS Puerto Rico, Guam - Fox 6; ABC 7)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuWBOmYCSFQ

WCVI-TV CBS & ABC (U.S. Virgin Islands)