IceHogs Players Spread Holiday Cheer
December 13, 2007 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rockford IceHogs News Release
Rockford, Ill.- With the holiday season in full swing, the Rockford IceHogs have joined in the holiday spirit. This Friday, IceHogs players will present local families gifts through the Winnebago County Health Department's HUGS program following the game against the Rochester Americans.
Six families will be invited out to the Rockford MetroCentre for Friday's contest, and following the game, the IceHogs' special guests will be invited to receive holiday gifts from IceHogs players. HUGS stands for Helping Urge Great Success and has benefited young mothers between the ages of 13 and 19 in the Rockford community since 1993.
Families in the program where chosen after submitting letters and a Christmas wish list. Each participant in the HUGS program attends a weekly support group. HUGS is a part of a statewide program called the Illinois Pregnancy Project.
On Saturday night, the IceHogs are hosting its Annual Teddy Bear Toss for charity. Fans are invited to bring new or gently used teddy bears and stuffed animals to the game against the Quad City Flames and after the IceHogs score their first goal, fans can toss the stuffed animals onto the ice.
The stuffed animals will then be collected by IceHogs players and staff members and distributed to local hospitals and charities to brighten the holidays for some underprivileged kids in the Rock River Valley. Last season, the IceHogs collected a record 1,569 stuffed animals from their generous fans.
On Wednesday night, IceHogs skaters Gavin Morgan, Corey Crawford and Niklas Hjalmarsson along with IceHogs mascots Hammy and Hammer Hog celebrated Christmas with the parents and children of Mother House Crisis Nursery. IceHogs players helped children decorate ornaments for the Mother House Christmas tree.
Some of the bears collected from Saturday's Teddy Bear Toss will be presented to Mother House on Wednesday, Dec. 19. Mother House serves families and mothers in need of emergency child care during a time of crisis 24-hours a day.
For more information about the IceHogs in the community, call (815) 986-6465.
Next Home Game: Friday, Dec. 14 vs. Rochester Americans. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. Rockford returns home to kick off a mini two-game homestand. Rochester makes its first and only visit to the MetroCentre on Friday. The meeting is the second and final of the regular season between the clubs.
American Hockey League Stories from December 13, 2007
- Admirals to Feature US Cellular Teddy Bear Toss Friday - Milwaukee Admirals
- Celebrate a Holiday skate with the Aeros on December 19 - Houston Aeros
- Phantoms To Hold Toy Drives, Helping Hand Auction This Weekend - Adirondack Phantoms
- Syracuse Signs Karl Goehring - Syracuse Crunch
- Cook County Clerk To Help Wolves Rock The Vote - Chicago Wolves
- Admirals to Rock Out with Bret Michaels - Milwaukee Admirals
- Sound Tigers Release Johnson - Bridgeport Islanders
- Rourke Clears Waivers, Headed To Falcons - Springfield Falcons
- Waddell released from PTO - Connecticut Whale
- IceHogs Players Spread Holiday Cheer - Rockford IceHogs
- Admirals Release Goaltender Karl Goehring - Norfolk Admirals
- Sound Tigers To Give Free Tickets For Kids December 26 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Bears battle at home Saturday and Sunday this week - Hershey Bears
- Aucoin, Hamel Named Team Captains For AHL All-Star Classic - Albany River Rats
- Crunch to Welcome New York State High School Football Champions - Syracuse Crunch
- Pair of Wolves Forwards Sent To Gwinnett - Chicago Wolves
- Hamel, Aucoin named team captains for 2008 AHL All-Star Classic - Binghamton Senators
- Moose join forces with Salvation Army, Toyota to collect toys this holiday season - Manitoba Moose
- Hamel, Aucoin named team captains for 2008 AHL All-Star Classic - AHL
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