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ECHL Reading Royals

Royals Raise and Return $85,000 To Charitable Organizations

May 31, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Reading Royals News Release


Reading, PA - The Reading Royals of the ECHL and the team's charitable arm, Royals Charities, today announced that the organization raised and donated almost $85,000 in funds, tickets, merchandise and memorabilia to local and national non-profit organizations throughout the 2005-06 hockey season. The team's charitable activities during the fifth anniversary "Season of Memories" included five separate commemorative jersey auctions, the First Annual Battle of the Badges Charity Hockey Game, the Royals At Your Service Charity Luncheon, the game-night Chuck-A-Puck promotion, and the holiday-themed Teddy Bear Toss, as well as the donation of tickets, merchandise and memorabilia to over seventy-five local non-profit organizations.

Royals Charities kicked off the season with a special fund raiser when the team wore a jersey styled after that of the Royals' NHL affiliate, the Los Angeles Kings, at the home opener against the Trenton Titans on October 29. Those sweaters were auctioned off after the game with a portion of the proceeds going to the Taylor M. Hasker Trust Fund, which was established to benefit the child of a Royals' fan, who held season tickets from virtually the first day that the team came into existence until his tragic passing in a motorcycle accident shortly before the start of last season. The Royals also wore and auctioned a commemorative New Orleans Brass replica jersey, which was part of a larger Hurricane Relief Weekend for the Royals in mid-November of 2005 when the Stanley Cup made a historic stop at the Sovereign Center as part of professional hockey's efforts to raise money and awareness for the American Red Cross and the victims of the hurricanes in the Gulf Coast and Florida last summer. On February 19, 2006, the team donned Reading Phillies replica baseball-styled jerseys, which were auctioned off after the 5-1 win over the Titans with the proceeds going to Baseballtown Charities. Royals Charities also continued a five-year tradition of support for the Berks Arts Council and the FirstEnergy Berks Jazz Fest by wearing and auctioning a green and gold 'Minnesota North Stars' throw-back replica in mid-March.

One of the most successful charitable activities this season for the Royals was the First Annual Battle of the Badges Charity Hockey Game held prior to the Royals match-up against the Trenton Titans on Sunday, February 19. In that game, the respective hockey teams for the Reading Police Department and the Reading Fire Department-with cameo appearances from Royals' Head Coach Karl Taylor and General Manager Gordon Kaye-went head-to-head to raise money and awareness for the Michael H. Wise II Memorial Foundation, which provides scholarship funds to family members of law enforcement officers.

The Royals also continued the tradition of hosting the Royals At Your Service Luncheon, where the team's players and staff served as "waiters" at the Classic Café in Bern Township, Pennsylvania, and raised funds through "tips" for the benefit of the local chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Other traditional fund-raisers undertaken this year by Royals Charities and the team's Booster Club included the game night Chuck-A-Puck promotion and the Teddy Bear Toss, which not only collected over 3000 stuffed toys for distribution to local households in need for the holidays, but also raised money through the sale of special stuffed teddy bears at the game that night-funds which were recently delivered to the local U.S. Marines Toys-for-Tots program.

Royals Charities also continued a tradition of providing game tickets to organizations in need, donating numerous tickets to a wide array of groups, including the Bethany Children's Home, the Olivet Boys and Girls Club, the Greater Reading Conference of Churches, the Special Olympics of Berks County, the Greater Berks Food Bank, and the Salvation Army of Boyertown. Likewise, Royals Charities continued the tradition of providing merchandise and memorabilia to a number of local non-profit organizations for use in their respective silent auctions and giveaways as a way of raising funds for those organizations.

The Royals' organization and Royals Charities would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved with the organization's charitable efforts, including but not limited to the team's players and staff, the Booster Club, law enforcement officials, media members, community leaders, corporate partners, and local government officials-and most importantly our great fans who made these outstanding gifts to the community possible. The organization looks forward to increasing the scope of the Royals' positive outreach in our community during the upcoming season. Please note that the official registration and financial information for Royals Charities may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll free within Pennsylvania at 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

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