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Augsburg Hockey Team Raises Funds For Arena Custodian To Visit Family

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Augsburg men's hockey team is raising money so a longtime employee of the Minneapolis college can visit his family overseas.

Minasie Theophilis is a custodian for Augsburg's ice arena. Theophilis left his home in Ethiopia nearly 35 years ago and has never had a chance to return to visit this family.

The Auggies men's hockey team decided to set up a fundraiser for Theophilis. In 24 hours, the GoFundMe fundraiser surpassed its original goal.

The team will present Theophilis with a check for more than $5,000 on Wednesday. The money will allow Theophilis to go to Norway to visit his brother, who lives there, while their father also visits.

The team plans to continue fundraising to send Theophilis and his wife to Ethiopia for an extended stay next winter.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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