Grassroots hockey program in formerly war-torn country receives new equipment in a visit from NHLPA Goals & Dreams Ambassadors as part of program’s 10th anniversary tour
TORONTO (November 19, 2009) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) Goals & Dreams “10 countries in 10 days” tour arrived in Sarajevo, Bosnia today, bringing brand-new sets of hockey equipment to children playing hockey in a country that remains affected by years of war and conflict.
Former NHL players and NHLPA Goals & Dreams Ambassadors, along with members of the Canadian military stationed in Bosnia, were on hand today to present the Bosnia-Herzegovina Sports Foundation (BiH) with another 25 complete sets of new hockey equipment. This grassroots organization began as a free ball hockey program designed to get youth off the streets, and in its first years of operation, kids in the program were playing with mismatched, used equipment – or playing with none at all. Equipment and assistance from the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund has made all the difference to these children, who are learning teamwork and leadership skills and forging new friendships through hockey.
The Bosnian kids were joined on the ice with the former NHL players, giving them an experience of a lifetime; many of the Bosnian kids who received equipment follow their favourite NHL players closely and were very excited to get this opportunity.
“Seeing the looks on the kids’ faces when we handed over their new equipment was priceless,” said Devin Smith, NHLPA Goals & Dreams Chairman. “We instantly understood how important hockey was to these kids – it’s a source of hope and dreams for them in a country that has seen more than its share of conflict. Giving these kids a chance to play hockey is an opportunity everyone on the NHLPA Goals & Dreams tour truly cherishes.”
Today’s donation marks the second time the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund has assisted a Bosnian youth hockey club. The NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund got involved in Bosnia last winter by generously donating and shipping 50 full sets of brand new equipment to the BiH Sports Foundation.
By the end of the “10 countries in 10 days” tour on November 22,the NHLPA Goals & Dreamsfund will have donated 360 complete sets brand-new hockey equipment to local grassroots hockey programs in the countries visited, worth approximately $180,000. The entire journey is being chronicled in video, photos, and blog entries at the following link: www.nhlpa.com/10in10. You can also follow updates and stories through the NHLPA Twitter feed: @nhlpanewmedia.
The remaining stops on the NHLPA Goals & Dreams “10 countries in 10 days” tour include:
Day 8: Friday, November 20 – Frankfurt, Germany
Day 9: Saturday, November 21 – New York, U.S.A.
Day 10: Sunday, November 22 – Toronto, Canada – including a celebration at the Hockey Hall of Fame
About NHLPA Goals & Dreams
In 1999, the National Hockey League Players’ Association launched the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 10 years, more than 350 former and current NHLPA members have been personally involved in helping facilitate NHLPA Goals & Dreams donations in either their hometown or their NHL playing cities. The NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund is funded solely by the members of the NHLPA and is the largest grassroots hockey program in the world. Since November 1999, the players’ program has donated more than $17 million to grassroots hockey programs in 22 different countries. More than 40,000 children have benefited from the hockey equipment donations through NHLPA Goals & Dreams.