ECHL Idaho Steelheads

Steelheads Champions On The Ice And In The Community

June 26, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Idaho Steelheads News Release


BOISE, Idaho -- The Kelly Cup Champion Idaho Steelheads were successful on and off the ice this season helping raise funds for schools and non-profit organizations around the Treasure Valley.

The Steelheads Community Foundation, presented by Primary Health Inc., helped raise over $200,000 through fundraisers and donated $77,290 worth of tickets and merchandise to schools and non-profit organizations to be used for fundraisers. As well, the team helped collect sports equipment and books for children's non-profit organizations and distribute 2,700 coats to homeless and impoverished families with the Boise Rescue Mission.

The fifth annual Pepsi Jersey Auction benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) raised $14,340. The team wore one-of-a-kind Tenth Anniversary jerseys during a three-game series against the Phoenix Roadrunners in December and fans had the opportunity to bid on their favorite players' jerseys. In five years, the Steelheads/Pepsi Jersey Auction has raised $52,465.

Idaho Steelheads fans showed their generosity, helping raise $12,750 for St. Luke's Center for Heart and Vascular Health, at a one-of-a-kind jersey auction that kicked off on Valentine's Day, February 14th. $133,000 has been raised over the past several years with similar jersey auctions, benefiting various causes at the hospital. Last year's Pink in the Rink raised a record $21,791 for breast cancer care and treatment.

$11,740 was raised through a jersey auction benefiting autistic programs at St. Luke's*Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Services during a three-game series against the Alaska Aces in March. Statistics show 1 in 150 children is diagnosed with ASD. St. Luke's*Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Services, a not-for-profit 501-c3 organization, have programs that treat pediatric patients who fall within the Autism Spectrum Disorders.

In addition, the Idaho Steelheads Hockey Club partnered with several other community organizations to aid in their fundraising events, including the Police and Firefighters for the annual Guns n' Hoses Charity Hockey Game benefiting MDA and MADD and the Boise Rotary Club for the Adopt-A-Duck Shoot-Out that benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Idaho and little league Hockey programs raised $4,200. Project Linus held their annual quilt raffle and raised $1200 for supplies needed to provide blankets to children in distress. The Steelheads Booster Club and the Marine Corp collected just over 1,000 toys and raised $2,000 for the Toys for Tots program.

$1,500 was raised through Chuck A Puck sales and a raffle for the Bridges Community School during the ECHL All-Star Game. The school, scheduled to open in the fall, will be the first in Idaho serving the needs of children with Autism.

In partnership with local libraries, the Qwest Hat Trick Reading Program encouraged children to read with incentives. Children, ages 5-13, earned hockey tickets, a cap and a free skate at Qwest Arena, The program is sponsored by Qwest in partnership with local public libraries.

Children were rewarded for exemplary attendance in school with two game tickets, a t-shirt and milk through the United Dairymen 3-A-Day Stay in School Program.

Steelheads players visited schools throughout Boise, Meridian and Nampa to promote health, fitness and fun with the Gold's Gym Be Hip Get Fit Play Hockey program and players encouraged children to read more with visits to schools through the Idaho Statesman's Read to Succeed program.

The Steelheads support youth hockey around the Valley wherever they can, and Head Coach Derek Laxdal donated his time to conduct numerous coach's clinics and instructional camps at Idaho IceWorld for both youth hockey players and women's teams. Fundraisers to support youth hockey amounted to $71,633 being raised including $20,730 coming from the Commercial Tire Chuck-A-Puck program.

The Steelheads extend a very large thank you to their fans for always generously supporting the team's charitable causes.

Check out the Idaho Steelheads Statistics



ECHL Stories from June 26, 2007


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