CINCINNATI, Ohio – The 2010 Kelly Cup Champion Cincinnati Cyclones, proud affiliate of the NHL’s Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators, announced today that they contributed more than $225,000 in goods and materials to the local community during the 2010-11 season.
This past year, the Cyclones provided more than 600 pieces of autographed memorabilia used for fund-raising efforts around the Tri-State. In addition to those contributions, players from the 2010-11 team spent nearly 700 hours at local hospitals, schools, youth centers and other locations throughout the year.
“We’re extremely proud of the off-ice efforts our players have made in the Cincinnati community,” said Cyclones Vice President and General Manager Kristin Ropp. “The impressions these young men have made helped us connect with our fans on a more personal level and will likely define them going forward in their professional careers.”
For the annual “Teddy Bear Toss” night in mid-December, the Cyclones collected nearly 1,000 stuffed animals to benefit Lighthouse Youth Services. It was the fifth straight season that Cincinnati has given back with this event, which has seen increased participation each year.
Also in December, the team partnered with Cyclones forward Dustin Sproat and his non-profit organization Hockey Players for Kids for the “Give Moore for the Holidays” challenge – a specialized outreach program intended to inspire people in hockey communities around the country to help those less fortunate in the season of giving.
The club also auctioned off four sets of specialty jerseys for various charities that raised more than $43,000. In February, the team once again joined the Cyclones Fan Club for the third-annual “Cyclones Got Talent” charity dinner, which generated more than $3,000 for Hockey Players for Kids. Various other charities in the region benefited from selling concessions at U.S. Bank Arena as well, collectively raising more than $120,000 during the course of the season.
“Being active in our community is something that we, as professionals, love to be a part of,” said Cyclones Head Coach Jarrod Skalde. “We’re very thankful of our community support and are more than happy to return the favor.”
With the Cyclones Kelly Cup Playoff run in the books, they will now look ahead to this October when they will take the ice again for another year of hockey in downtown Cincinnati. It’s never too early to reserve a space as 2011-12 season tickets are on sale NOW! For more information, call 513.421.PUCK (7825) or visit CyclonesHockey.com.
Cyclones Contribute Over $225,000 to Local Community
