CHL Mississippi RiverKings

Local National Guard unit confers special honor on Make-A-Wish recipient

Published on July 16, 2008 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


National Guard Company A, 2nd-198th CAB, based out of Hernando, spent a day with their families - and the very special family of 11-year-old St. Jude patient Ty Waggoner - as well as members of the RiverKings, Grizzlies, Redbirds and local officials in Southaven at the DeSoto Civic Center on Saturday, July 12.

Ty's battle with bone cancer got a special ally in his 8-year-old sister, Sammie, who served as his bone marrow donor last year. Since then, Ty has been cancer free, although he must return often to St. Jude for tests to make sure the cancer doesn't return.

The members and families of the 198th CAB adopted him as their selected Make-A-Wish recipient through Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South, Inc. Ty's family lives in Southaven. He is an avid military and military history buff.

Recently, Make-A-Wish sent Ty and his family to Normandy, France, so Ty could visit all the World War II monuments.

"I feel very privileged," Ty said afterwards. "I've been a military history buff since I was five."

In addition to the trip, Ty was honored during the CAB's "Family Day Celebration" with the gift of his own National Guard camo uniform, complete with nameplate, boots and swearing-in as a first sergeant.

"Everything fits perfectly - they couldn't have gotten it any more right," said beaming Ty.

The Waggoner family also received sports packages from area sports teams, such as tickets, pennants, jerseys and other memorabilia. On hand to present the packages were team representatives from the Memphis Grizzlies and Redbirds, as well as Mississippi RiverKings assistant captain Louis Dumont and mascot Sheldon.

Other gifts for Ty and Sammie included packages from SportsClips barbershop, Sportman's Warehouse, and Sports of all Sorts.

Ty brought a very special gift for the members of the unit.

"This is a bottle full of sand from Omaha Beach in Normandy," he said as he presented it to Cpt. Drew Clark. "But it's not just any sand from the beach, it's from the exact spot where the National Guard landed when they stormed the beach in World War II. So please take good care of it."

There was a somber note to the ceremonies and visits as well - this unit returns to Iraq after Christmas for its third tour, and many of the events of the day revolved around helping families to practically and emotionally prepare for the upcoming exodus.

The CAB's Family Readiness Group has ongoing programs for the soldiers and their families, including gathering and returning old cell phones to exchange for calling cards for the soldiers while they're away; rounding up care package items; and hosting events such as the Ride for Troops in the fall and annual Christmas dinner in December.

Other sponsors and participants included Senator Doug Davis, Mayor Greg Davis, Mayor Chip Johnson & Hernando Board of Aldermen, Sheriff Bill Rasco, Chancery Clerk Sluggo Davis, Chancellor Percy Lynchard; Hernando Wal-Mart, Kroger and Subway; Party Works of Hernando, Hernando Sonic, Hernando Baptist Church, New Discovery Church, Santa's Catering, G&K Services, Sam's Club, Royal Cup Coffee, Fun Bounce, Desoto Printing, First Security Bank, Northwest Mississippi Board of Realtors, Sports of All Sorts in Hernando, DeSoto Civic Center, Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Redbirds and the Mississippi RiverKings hockey team.

To find out more about how you can support the Family Readiness Group, contact SFC Dennis Adams at the armory, 662.429.1280 or email supportcoa@aol.com, or call Liz Adams at 901.262.1208.

Maddox Hockey, Inc., or the Mississippi RiverKings, is a for-profit entity supported in part by Maddox Foundation, an independent private foundation based in Hernando, Miss., as a program-related investment to lessen the burden of the Desoto County government by increasing the viability of the Desoto Civic Center, promote the long-term community and economic development of the region, and conduct programs that increase investments in area charities and their causes. To find out more about the RiverKings, call 662.342.1755 or visit www.riverkings.com.

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Central Hockey League Stories from July 16, 2008


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