IceHogs Receive Community Service Excellence Award at AHL Awards Gala

The Rockford IceHogs are proud to announce that the organization received the Award of Excellence for Community Service Excellence for the AHL’s 17-team Western Conference at the American Hockey League 2024 Awards Gala during the AHL’s Board of Governors’ Annual Meeting this week. The award recognizes the IceHogs’ outstanding community relations efforts for the 2023-24 season.

Last summer, the IceHogs Community Fund awarded $100,000 in grants, plus an additional $27,000 from the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation to nine local organizations for the 2023-24 grant term. The largest grant was a $34,000 award to support the Rockford Park District’s "Junior StreetHogs," an outreach program designed to eliminate barriers that often prevent children from learning to play the sport of ice hockey. Over the last 12 months, the Rockford Park District estimates around 7,000 kids participated in street hockey in the inflatable rink, engaging with RPD instructors and coaches. The RPD outreach team targeted groups of individuals and community centers with youth who haven’t had much experience playing hockey.

Additional organizations supported by IceHogs Community Fund grants last year included Think Big Corporation, the VanVleet Family Foundation, Rockford Hockey Club, Rock House Kids, Rockford Razorbacks Lacrosse, the Oscar Mike Foundation, the Greg Lindmark Foundation, and the Autism Program at Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford. The Greg Lindmark Foundation and the Autism Program at Easterseals were also beneficiaries of an IceHogs Specialty Jersey Auction Night last season with the Greg Lindmark Foundation receiving $8,600 from the IceHogs 25^th Season Jersey Auction last November, and The Autism Program at Easterseals receiving $16,500 from the IceHogs’ annual Autism Awareness Night fundraising efforts.

The IceHogs Community Fund also supported local organizations with $25,000 in sponsorships during the 2023-24 season, supporting events like Friday Night Flix, the Rockford Boxing Classic, Kids Around the World 1 Million Meal Event, Stroll on State, the Nikolas Ritschel Foundation’s Nik's Wish 5K, Anderson Gardens’ Spooktacular Haunts, and the Family Peace Center’s annual gala.

The most unique sponsorship supported by the IceHogs Community Fund last year was a $5,000 sponsorship of “Normandy: A Bridge to History,” a once-in-a-lifetime trip organized by VetsRoll co-founder Mark Finnegan and the Wisconsin American Legion Foundation. The trip allowed two World War II veterans from northern Illinois and a group of Gen Z assistants from the stateline area to fly to Normandy, France to visit historic D-Day sights. The four Gen Z participants were able to learn history from the men who lived it. The Hendricks Family Foundation funded the cost of airfare, while the IceHogs Community Fund sponsorship helped fund additional expenses of the trip.

The IceHogs’ annual Teddy Bear Toss game is another community initiative that impacts hundreds of kids and families around the holidays. This year’s Teddy Bear Toss game saw 5,148 stuffed animals tossed on the ice and donated to the cause. The IceHogs’ mascot, Hammy, and IceHogs staff then delivered animals to over 20 organizations including local hospitals, Rockford Rescue Mission, Rock House Kids, Carpenter's Place, Children's Home & Aid, St. Elizabeth Center, the YWCA, Booker Washington Center, Rosie's Birthday Club, Shelter Care Ministries, Easterseals, Blackhawk Boys and Girls Club, and local Toys for Tots events.

The IceHogs and their fans also supported two community causes with drives at IceHogs games this season. In November, the team joined forces with State Representative (97th District) Maurice West to promote the 10th annual "Share the Warmth" clothing drive. Fans generously donated new or gently used jackets, hats, gloves, mittens, snow pants, sweatshirts, socks, and underwear. IceHogs staff members and Hammy joined Rep. West and his staff to deliver collected items to Rockford Rescue Mission, Carpenter's Place, and Shelter Care Ministries right before Christmas. Then in February, IceHogs fans again rose to the occasion to donate new or gently used shoes for Life Decisions’ Shoe Drive. The IceHogs alone collected 141 pairs of shoes and Life Decisions in total amassed 9,000 shoes for the duration of the city-wide shoe drive.

Hammy and IceHogs players also made over 100 appearances at community events and schools during the 2023-24 season. Meanwhile, IceHogs staff members volunteered their time in the community this past year doing service projects like a playground build for the Rockton PTO and packing meals at both the Kids Around the World 1 Million Meal Event and at the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Finally, at Christmas time, IceHogs players and staff “adopted” two families in need and purchased Christmas gifts and groceries that were then delivered to the families on Christmas Eve.

As the 2024-25 hockey season approaches, the IceHogs organization looks forward to continuing to make a positive impact on the community through grants, sponsorships, partnerships, and service.