Ference and Chara both support the You Can Play Project (Photo Credit: Steph Phillips)

Earlier this week defenseman Andrew Ference tweeted that he was going to be running the stands at Harvard Stadiumn at 6:30am Wednesday morning and for anyone to join him.  What started out as an every day work out for Ference turned into a fun-filled fundraiser for the You Can Play Project.

Once founder of the YCP Project, Patrick Burke, caught wind of the early morning run, he questioned the defenseman about it, who would then later challenge Burke to run the stairs with him.  Burke and Ference’s twitter followers along with Ference raised $2500 just to see Burke struggle up the stairs, “I think they got their money’s worth,” Burke told Bruins News.

By Wednesday night they had earned over $3000 in just 48 hours.

“That’s the magic of Twitter, I guess,” smirked Ference. “Things kind of get going if you let them.” (via Bruins News)

While the stairs are a usual workout for the defenseman, it is usually a solo effort, but Wednesday morning he was working alongside 300 other runners who came out to support the cause (November Project).

 ”It’s one thing to come and do them on your own. It’s another to have a huge group of people who are up and at it early in the morning and just out here to get fit. It’s just about getting together and getting after it.” (via Bruins News)

Burke had his own thoughts on the support he has received for the Project;

“Andrew and the Bruins organization have been behind You Can Play from the start,” he said. “Zdeno Chara has done a video and Shawn Thornton has also spoken out for us, so we’re really honored to have the support of such a great organization.”