BOSTON, Mass - New England Patriots punter Zoltan Mesko is set to host the first ZoliOke fundraiser, a celebrity karaoke night featuring No. 14, many of his current teammates, and special guests on Saturday, June 9 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Taking place at Royale in Boston, ZoliOke is a benefit for Boston Children's Hospital with net proceeds including raffle and live auction contributions being donated to the hospital.

"I'm extremely excited to support the work taking place at Boston Children's Hospital," said Mesko on choosing the hospital as the event beneficiary. "The patients and families I have had the opportunity to visit inspire me every day."

"Zoltan's commitment to Boston Children's Hospital is exceptional," said Katie O'Donnell, MD, Pediatric Hospital Medicine Attending. "His bright spirit and sense of humor bring joy and hope to the countless patients and families he visits. Zoltan's many fans know him as a New England Patriots superstar, at Boston Children's Hospital we know him as a superstar patient ambassador and an important member of our team."

The evening will feature Patriots players belting out karaoke hits in front of roughly 700 guests and a live auction where guests can bid to sing on stage with their favorite Patriots. Guests arriving before 8:00 p.m. will receive one raffle ticket, with a variety of great prizes offered, including signed Patriots memorabilia and gift certificates ranging from Stella & Dot jewelry to West End Johnny's restaurant.

WAAF's on-air radio personality, Greg Hill, will serve as the night's emcee and auctioneer. Hill emceed former Patriot Larry Izzo's "LarryOke," a similar fundraiser Izzo hosted during his playing career in New England. Hill will be introducing musical acts by Mesko and guests throughout the night. The "Pick a Hit" portion of the evening will allow one lucky member in the audience to come on stage and sing a song with a member of the Patriots.

As a New England Patriot, Mesko set an NFL rookie record in 2010 with a 38.4 net average – the highest of any rookie punter since net punt tracking began in 1976.  While he has helped his team compete for championships on the field, he has brought more than just his athleticism with him to New England.  The Romanian- born athlete played four seasons for the University of Michigan (2006-2009). In his spare time, he organized hospital visits for his fellow Wolverines at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's and Women's Hospital. Mesko was a weekly guest at the hospital, making visits each Thursday during the academic year. "I remember almost 70 student-athletes visited Mott's one night," Zoltan says of his coordinated student-athlete hospital visits. Along with organizing hospital visits, Mesko volunteered at the football team's Carr's Wash for Kids charity event at Michigan that raised money for the building of a new children's hospital.  During his senior year, the University of Michigan recognized Mesko as a member of the 2009 Allstate Good Works Team for his off-the-field efforts in the local community.

In New England, Mesko has continued to be an outstanding volunteer, participating in a number of New England Patriots Charitable Foundation community events his rookie year and last season as a part of the team's "Celebrate Volunteerism" campaign.  Along with hospital visits, Mesko has participated in numerous events including Patriots Gifts from the Gridiron, Hunger Awareness and Health Care Volunteerism, and a playground build in Providence, Rhode Island.

General admissions tickets for the three-hour fundraiser are available on Ticketmaster.com for $50.00.  A limited number of VIP tickets for $150.00 are also available on Ticketmaster.com by searching "ZoliOke" http://bit.ly/JAVSxJ.

Additional donations to Boston Children's Hospital on behalf of ZoliOke can be made on the event's community fundraising page here: https://howtohelp.childrenshospital.org/events/pfp/?ProfileID=GJ0205&name=zolioke

ZoliOke guests are allowed to stay at Royale after the conclusion of the fundraiser at 10:00 p.m. for no additional cover charge.

Please note that Zolioke is a 21 event. A valid photo ID will be required upon entrance.