CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Continue Strong Community Support

Published on August 11, 2009 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


(Southaven, MS) --- While many corporations and foundations are reducing their community giving programs, the Mississippi RiverKings hockey team for the third straight year has donated over 10 percent of the company's gross annual income to community organizations and causes.

"Our team members, coach, support staff and front office personnel are all committed to making a difference in the community," said Dave Mattice, RiverKings Director of Business Operations. "We want fans, sponsors and other partners that will be actively involved with the RiverKings both on and off the ice, and for local nonprofits and the people they serve to benefit from that involvement."

The RiverKings made over $175,000 in direct donations and support to charitable organizations in northwest Mississippi, including tickets, merchandise, jersey auctions and other contributions. The RiverKings also help raise funds for local causes by featuring the work of nonprofits at home hockey games throughout the year.

The team's signature community event, the annual "Face Off Field Trip," this year hosted some 8,000 students from local elementary schools at a regularly scheduled RiverKings game. The team provided $64,000 toward tickets for students and teachers, and developed educational materials and activities used at the game and in the classroom.

"Support from businesses and individuals in sponsoring students for the Face Off Field Trip is continuing to grow," Mattice said. "Those sponsorships allow us to spend on the educational portion of the event."

The RiverKings also hold auctions for specially-designed jerseys worn by the team during certain home games. This year, the team donated $39,000 in benefits from jersey auctions to charities like the American Cancer Society and Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Option rescue group.

"The ‘Pink at the Rink' event at the RiverKings game was an awesome collaboration between us and the RiverKings," said Raney Alford, DeSoto County Relay for Life 2009 chair. "The jersey auction brought in over $3,500 for us, plus proceeds from our ticket fundraiser. It was amazing to see, and we had a blast."

"Our night at the RiverKings game really touched the adoption and rescue staff," said Southland Gaming and Racing President and General Manager Troy Keeping, whose company sponsored Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Option Night at the RiverKings. "They were in shock at how much the jerseys raised for their center. It is amazing what the RiverKings fans did to support them. The night was a great success. We genuinely appreciated and enjoyed it. What a great partnership."

This past season, the RiverKings donated more than $17,500 in merchandise and tickets to charitable organizations to use in silent auctions, raffles and other fundraising ventures, free of charge to the requesting organizations.

The RiverKings also supported Newspaper in Education programs in five counties: DeSoto, Tate, Tunica and Panola Counties in Mississippi and Shelby County in Tennessee.

"We have tried to follow the example of our parent company, Maddox Foundation, in its commitment to literacy and education," Mattice said. "Newspapers in Education is a great way to reach students with a wide range of interests and engage them in reading, as well as support teachers who care to utilize the papers as a tool in their lessons."

The RiverKings give local nonprofits the opportunity to raise significant funds through the team's ticket fundraising program. This past year, all funds raised by organizations through this program were matched at the end of the season by the Maddox Foundation, the owner of the team.

Funds are also channeled to nonprofits and community causes through game-related activities such as after-game skating sessions, the Puck Toss activity at each home game, mascot appearances, and the work of the team-supervised/fan-run RiverKings with a Cause club.

"We encourage any community organization, including churches, schools, and local governments, to contact us about ways we can partner with them," Mattice said. "We will find ways to help them achieve their goals in the community." Organizations may contact the team at 662-342-1755.

The RiverKings are supported by their community partners, season ticket holders, fans, and by program-related investments of the Maddox Foundation, an independent private foundation based in Hernando, Mississippi. The Foundation supports the team's programs that increase investments in area charities and their causes.

Season tickets are now available for another exciting season of RiverKings hockey at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven, beginning Friday, October 16th against the Tulsa Oilers at 7:05 PM. Call and reserve your season tickets now at 662-342-1755.

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Central Hockey League Stories from August 11, 2009


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