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ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Continue to Give Back to Community

January 23, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


One thing is for sure at Gwinnett Gladiators home games - North Metro and Atlanta-area fans love their local team. With an average attendance of over 5,500 fans per game through the first half of the season, the Gladiators are once again providing affordable, family-oriented and convenient entertainment and the fans are gobbling it up. In only their third season of play, the team has successfully transformed from the new, local attraction into an entity that has become a part of the community fabric of the North Metro Atlanta area. The Gladiators, in turn, have always believed strongly in the organization's responsibility of investing back into the community. Players and the team's mascot, Maximus, make numerous appearances at local schools, charities, community functions and children's outreach programs. The team also raises and distributes money through their Gladiators Foundation for Kids and hosts and donates a considerable amount of time, tickets and merchandise to worthwhile causes. Whether it involves encouraging young students to read or simply getting involved in charitable outings, the Gladiators believe that much of their success is predicated upon developing a strong bond with the fans of their community. "Make no mistake," says team President Steve Chapman, "we are heavily involved in the community first and foremost because it is the right thing to do. This is our community too. We live and work here just like our fans and we want our community to be the best that it can be. There is no doubt, though, that we also believe that being a good citizen is good for our business." "As a minor league professional sport doing business just outside of a major US city, we can't afford the media buys that we would certainly like to have. When you sell tickets for $12 - $ 16 and only have 36 guaranteed dates to do business, the math just doesn't work out. And there is a lot of competition for the discretionary dollar. For us to build our awareness and to remain successful we have to build a bond with those fans that are already supporting us and we have to convince new fans to come see us. Obviously, effective mass marketing is essential to getting the word out. But we build that bond by getting involved." The efforts have not gone unnoticed as the Gladiators have been honored by several local charitable organizations and businesses for their involvement in the community. While the plaques and awards are appreciated gestures, the Gladiators know that the real measure of their community relations programs shine through in two forms. The first are the personal rewards - the fragile child's smile as she melts into a hug from one of the team's players or the thankful appreciation that accompanies each contribution. The second is the vote of support that the community gives to the team each time they take the home ice.

"We work hard to give back to the community that supports us," says Jim Hall, the Gladiators Director of Community Relations. "And they return the love each time they walk through those turnstiles. In the end, it's simply reflective of that time-honored equation. If your heart is in the right place, you always get back far more than you give."

The following is a list of community relations oriented programs that the Gladiators organization has performed in the first half of this season, along with a description of several activities being planned during the second half of the season.

Program Details

Hat Trick for Reading Gwinnett, Fulton, Forsyth, Hall, DeKalb and Barrow County elementary school children were rewarded with Gladiators game tickets for completing a designated reading assignment. Over 85 total schools were involved and several schools report a direct and significant increase in their reading participation programs due to the program. We also welcomed many local Private Schools and Home School Groups. (Sponsored by Suwanee Dental Care.)

Honor Roll Planned for the second half of the season, the Gladiators plan to work with numerous North Metro & Atlanta area middle schools in an effort to inspire and reward students for earning good grades.

DECA Nights DECA, Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a specialized club of High School students who are interested in sports and entertainment marketing. The Gladiators are working with nine area High Schools in a program that allows their students to get involved in the sales, marketing and game night production of a Gladiators home game.

Coats For Kids Over 500 coats were donated by Gladiators fans through a program that rewarded donations with ticket discounts for the December 17th home game.

Food Drive Over 1,100 pounds of canned and non-perishable food items were donated by Gladiators fans through a food drive program during the Thanksgiving weekend that rewarded donations with a special ticket discount.

Gladiators Foundation Each Spring, the Gladiators donate money from their For Kids Donation Foundation to numerous local Gwinnett and North Metro Atlanta area charities. This season, the team plans to distribute nearly $ 30,000 to local charities. Fundraising programs include:

- Annual Jersey Off Our Backs Jersey Night - the Gladiators don specially designed limited edition jerseys for two games and then auction them off with proceeds going to the Foundation. This year's jersey is military designed to honor our soldiers serving in Iraq and around the world.

- Team Jersey Auction - at the conclusion of the season, the Gladiators auction off one set of player-worn team jerseys with a portion of the proceeds designated to the Foundation.

- Christmas Ornament Auction - during the holiday season, Gladiators players personally decorate holiday ornaments which are auctioned off to the fans at our last home game before Christmas.

- Name In Lights Program - limited # of video board messages during each intermission are available to fans that request them in advance. All proceeds go to the Foundation.

- Gladiators Booster Club - the support club of the Gladiators organization holds a few fundraisers each year to benefit the Foundation.

- Light the Lamp Program - Corporate Sponsor Peggy Slappey Properties donates $ 50.00 per home goal and Gladiators fans can donate a monetary amount for each goal that the Gladiators score at home. Donation levels begin at 25 cents per goal.

Fundraiser Nights In conjunction with Peggy Slappey Properties, the Gladiators offer special fundraising ticket night options to charitable groups and similar programs who are seeking a group social at the game. The Gladiators donate a percentage of each ticket sold by the fundraiser back to the group.

Community Appearances Since June 1, 2005, the Gladiators have made over 75 public appearances at schools, civic clubs, community festivals and business community related events.

Community Organization At each home game, a local community charitable of the Night organization is highlighted and allowed to promote their cause at a Gladiators home game. (Sponsored by Southern Mortgage Associates, Inc.)

Teddy Bear Toss This season, the Gladiators held their 3rd Annual Teddy Bear Toss in which fans were invited, once again, to bring stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes to the game and toss them on the ice when the Gladiators score their first goal. All of the teddy bears are distributed to local children's hospitals and charities. The Gladiators have collected over 10,000 stuffed animals through their first three seasons.

Youth Hockey Clinics Each season, the Gladiators work with local youth hockey leagues in Duluth and Alpharetta by hosting youth hockey clinics in which young players receive instruction from our players and coaches.

Donations Since June 1, 2005, the Gladiators have donated more than $ 120,000.00 in cash, tickets and/or merchandise to various community/civic groups, schools, youth organizations and charities to help with their fund raising activities.

Fed by the Gladiators Plans are in the works to hold this event in which players will serve as waiters to fans that purchase seats at their tables on Wednesday, March 15th at Little Gardens Restaurant. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Gladiators Foundation and the Gwinnett Children's Shelter.

Gladiators 5K Plans are in the works for the first Gladiators 5K to take place in the Spring of 2007 with a portion of the proceeds going to the Foundation.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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