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AHL Hershey Bears

Moore Named Bears' IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year

April 2, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


HERSHEY, Pa. - The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is proud to announce that defenseman Mike Moore has been named the team's winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year Award for his outstanding contributions to the central Pennsylvania community during the 2014-2015 season.

Moore has exemplified the true meaning of "leader" since coming into town for the first time. Willing to work on his own so much earlier than training camp showed his strong desire to make a name for himself among the coaching staff. However, he also went out on his own to get to know the community of Hershey and the surrounding areas. He has effortlessly taken his charitable efforts above and beyond that which is not even a requirement for Bears players.

Moore spearheaded this year's "Roaring to Read" campaign, in which several of his teammates visited schools throughout the central Pennsylvania community each month to share the joys of reading to children in grades K through 3. For students in higher grades, Moore was a key participant in the Bears' "Stick with Wellness" program. Students in various middle schools - who achieved significant academic achievement, attendance and honors - were chosen to participate in floor hockey games "coached" by Bears players. The students were then given an opportunity to ask questions - of which Moore helped orchestrate.

The Calgary native also helped take command of the team's visits to the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital at Hershey Medical Center. Once per month, Moore took five teammates along with him - and team mascot Coco - bringing player trading cards and other special gifts to ill or injured children.

The alternate captain was also a leading advocate of "Movember", helping gather some of his teammates to join him in "changing the face of men's health" by raising funds online.

Moore also played a large part in determining which charities would be the recipients of the Bears' world-renowned Teddy Bear Toss on December 7, in which over 17,000 plush toys were collected from the crowd. He was a big believer in helping purchase Christmas gifts for children around the community, along with his girlfriend Kristin and the Bears' Better Halves.

Moore - a four-time recipient of his team's award - is now one of 30 finalists for the AHL's 2014-15 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League later this month.

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