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Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Jersey Auctions Make More Than Fashion Statement

March 15, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Mississippi RiverKings are not unique among their peers in their use of game-worn authentic jerseys to raise funds for nonprofit organizations, though they may be unique in their consistent application of the principle.

It would be an understatement to say that ever since the RiverKings was purchased by private nonprofit grantor Maddox Foundation, the team's focus has seen an undeniable shift from simply sport to community development catalyst. And that attitude extends to literally giving folks the shirts off the players' backs.

Basically, the RiverKings' policy has always been to split the proceeds of jersey auctions between the team's patron charity, the Jr. StreetKings youth roller hockey league (a regional, recreational league organized under the umbrella of Hernando Youth Sports, the organization that oversees care of the Jr. StreetKings' playing facility), and the featured charity of the evening.

The first jersey auction of the 2010-11 season benefited the Jr. StreetKings and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude is world-renowned for not only treating, but also preventing, researching and advancing cures for a wide range of pediatric catastrophic diseases, and the vision of founder Danny Thomas, in which no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.

The RiverKings jersey featured the art of Ryan Christian, 9-year-old daughter of former RiverKing Jeff Christian, who was a patient at St. Jude at the time of the auction in early December. This jersey, sponsored by EMHC (Emergency Mobile Health Care) ambulance service, netted $14,250. EMHC Chief Operating Officer and Administrator Michael Nolen actually placed the highest bid for the Jeff Christian jersey at $1,300 and then gave the sweater back to Christian to commemorate the night for him, his wife Dorie, and Ryan.

January 22 kicked off a three-week slew of jersey auctions. The National Wild Turkey Federation was the split beneficiary, with a jersey featuring a forward-facing gobbler on the front, and the back end and fan of a wild turkey on the back side. The design was so cool, some pictures of it were picked up by Yahoo blogger Greg Wyshynski of "Puck Daddy" fame (click here for the story ). The jersey netted $6,237 for the two organizations.

February 5th marked the second of the string of auctions, with a special jersey benefiting the Jr. StreetKings and the Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Option. This jersey featured a gaming-and greyhound racing theme, and was sponsored by Southland Park Gaming and Racing in West Memphis. It racked up $7,325 for the organizations.

Last but not least, local supporters of American Cancer Society came out to the Feb. 13th game en masse to support Relay for Life Night. This jersey featured lots of purple, the ACS cancer-awareness ribbon, and the Relay for Life logo. The cancer-awareness jersey brought in $7,739 for youth sports and local ACS Relay teams. Plus, RiverKings player R.G. Flath threw his helmet into the rink the week before the game when he volunteered to allow the fan who bid the highest to shave his head if the RiverKings faithful could collectively put up $2,500. They did, and it all equaled a great night for Memphis and DeSoto County area cancer survivors.

RiverKings fans can look forward to two more charitable jersey auctions. Next Saturday, March 25th, the guys will sport an "Ole Miss" themed jersey in the college's colors, the split proceeds of which will be donated to the University of Mississippi's hockey program.

The last charitable jersey auction of the season will be the Miller Lite warm-up jerseys, currently scheduled to be live auctioned at the team's annual end-of-season fan party. The split recipient of these jerseys is usually a children's charity chosen by local Miller Lite distributor Clark Beverage.

One thing is for sure: giving someone the shirts off the players' backs has done more than simply clothe a few bodies over the years. The donations from these jerseys have provided shelter, food, transportation, emotional healing and physical resources to countless members of the Mid-South community over the years. Folks who wear a RiverKings jersey can wear it with pride, knowing the blood, sweat and tears invested in each one have reaped a harvest of help for good causes.

Next action on the ice for the RiverKings will come this weekend, when the Texas Brahmas come to Southaven's DeSoto Civic Center for games Friday and Saturday nights at 7:05 PM. The Warriors Center will be the featured non-profit MVP Friday night and Saturday is Fan Appreciation Night with giveaways galore. Girls Scouts-Heart of the South is the featured non-profit MVP and they will have the famouse Girl Scout cookies available for sale. Also Saturday is a pre-game reception from 5:30-6:30 PM to view works from Lin Workman depicting the RiverKings' players benefitting Assists for Autism. The items being shown during the reception will be available for bid through the second intermission of Saturday's game. For reservation information on the reception, call the RiverKings' Community Development Department at 662-342-1755.

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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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