Goalkeeper Matt Lampson smiled and said he was at a loss for words after clutching his chest slightly Tuesday on the second floor of the Bell Bank Colonnade location in Golden Valley.
Minnesota United, Bell Bank announce gate partnership, charity support
The bank, which will sponsor a gate at Allianz Field, gave a $10,000 check to goalkeeper Matt Lampson's charity that supports cancer patients.
By Jack White, Star Tribune
April 17, 2018 at 9:44PM
Lampson had just finished holding a giant check, written for $10,000 to a charity organization he founded to support cancer patients.
The Minnesota United keeper, himself a cancer survivor, knew he was going to get a check, he said, he just didn't know it would be worth that much.
Minnesota United announced a 10-year partnership Tuesday with Bell Bank, which will provide a $1,000 check to a player each match — home and away — next season. The bank, also named a gate sponsor at United's new Allianz Field, gave a $10,000 check to the keeper's LampStrong Foundation as it officially announced the partnership.
"That's a massive donation," Lampson said. "It's goes a long way for everything we're trying to do at the Lampstrong Foundation. It's going to change a lot of lives and to have partners like that, it speaks volume to the type of organization Minnesota United is and Bell Bank is."
Lampson, who survived stage IV Hodgkin lymphoma, created the foundation in 2014 when he was playing for the Columbus Crew. The foundation provides support for cancer patients and their family members. The group also donates to cancer research.
In 2016 Lampson was named MLS WORKS Humanitarian of the Year. He joined Minnesota United before the start of this season.
"Matt Lampson is a great human being," Minnesota United CEO Chris Wright said. "That young man is changing people's lives."
The selected "man of the match'' will donate the check of $1,000 to a charity of his choice. The Fargo-based bank's name will be associated with a gate in the southwest corner of the new stadium in St. Paul.
"When you think about getting your brand and your name out there in a really large market … there's not a lot of opportunities that present themselves like Minnesota United," Bell Bank President Michael Solberg said.
Lampson has started and played in six games, making 22 saves as the Loons have built a 2-4 regular-season record. Their next match is Sunday at the Seattle Sounders.
Jack White is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune.
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Jack White, Star Tribune
Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
