2008-09 Report to the Community
Transcription
2008-09 Report to the Community
2008-09 Report to the Community Community Assists Highlights from the 2008-09 season • The St. Louis Blues 14 Fund partnered with Ranken Jordan - A Pediatric Specialty Hospital to open the Blues Fan Zone at the hospital. • Nearly 8,000 students participated in the Blues Bookworms Reading Program. • 1,270 fans joined the Blues to Race for a Cure and raised more than $47,000. • More than $60,000 was raised during Blues games throughout the season for area non-profit organizations through special sales, collections and silent auctions. • Community Ticket Programs made it possible for thousands of guests from area non-profits to attend a game. • The Blues dedicated a TV broadcast on Fox Sports Midwest and contributed $75,000 to support the United Way of Greater St. Louis. 2008-09 Grant Recipients The St. Louis Blues 14 Fund, the charitable trust of the St. Louis Blues, has a mission to positively impact programs and services that improve the health and wellness of youth in the St. Louis area. The trust was created in 1998 to honor former Blues player Doug Wickenheiser, #14, who passed away from a long battle with cancer in early 1999. Originally named The Fourteen Fund, the St. Louis Blues name and logo was incorporated into the name and logo of the trust in 2007. The Blues 14 Fund focuses on four areas of giving, which include cancer care and awareness, health and wellness, education and youth hockey development. Thanks to the commitment of Blues players, alumni, volunteers and fans, the St. Louis Blues 14 Fund has contributed nearly $1.5 million to the St. Louis community since its inception. American Diabetes Association • Annie’s Hope • Angels’ Arms • Central Institute for the Deaf • Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments • Disabled Athlete Sports Association • Diversity Awareness Partnership • Ranken Jordan - A Pediatric Specialty Hospital • Friends of Kids with Cancer • Girls on the Run • H.I.S. K.I.D.S. • Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club • Life Skills Foundation • Missouri Hockey Association • St. Louis Cyclones Girls Hockey Program • St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf • The Magic House Special thanks to the members of the Board of Trustees for their time and dedication to the St. Louis Blues 14 Fund. Bruce Affleck St. Louis Blues John Davidson St. Louis Blues Dennis Hennessy Hawthorne Financial Peter McLoughlin St. Louis Blues Chris Moloney Scottrade, Inc. Tom Stillman St. Louis Blues Jim Woodcock Fleishman-Hillard During the 2008-09 season, the St. Louis Blues and St. Louis Blues 14 Fund contributed more than $580,000 to local non-profit organizations through grants, in-game fundraising activities, designated giving programs, and support of special events. Blues Fan Zone at Ranken Jordan A Pediatric Specialty Hospital The Blues 14 Fund is proud to partner with Ranken Jordan - A Pediatric Specialty Hospital to create the Fan Zone, a hockey-themed area inside the hospital's Pediatric Services Gym. It was designed to give children an escape from the battles they face each day, allowing them to decorate their own Blues pennant and play with hockey toys that promote emotional and cognitive development. The Fan Zone opened in 2008 and was made possible by a $200,000 donation from the Blues 14 Fund. During the season, the Blues hosted several watch parties for children and families of Ranken Jordan in the Fan Zone. In addition to cheering the Blues on, guests enjoyed food, face painting, and special visits from injured Blues players and Louie. Ranken Jordan – A Pediatric Specialty Hospital is one of a handful of hospitals in the country that provide rehabilitation and sub-acute medical treatment for children regardless of their family’s ability to pay. For children with complex medical conditions, such as brain injuries or complications due to premature birth, Ranken Jordan helps bridge the gap between traditional hospital treatment and going home. Ranken Jordan offers care through a 34-bed inpatient program and several outpatient programs, including outpatient therapy, intensive day treatment and a comprehensive orthopedic/ rehabilitation clinic. For more information, call 314-872-6400, email AskRJ@rankenjordan.org or visit www.rankenjordan.org. Thank you for playing hockeybox with us. We hope you come back to the hospital. -Ranken Jordan patient Power Play for United Way The St. Louis Blues were proud to once again partner with the United Way of Greater St. Louis to support the 2008 campaign through a $75,000 charitable donation made possible by players, executives and staff; and a special Power Play for United Way Night that included a dedicated TV broadcast on Fox Sports Midwest. The Blues also supported the United Way's efforts with a month-long promotion during Blues broadcasts and in-game features. A variety of in-game activities supported Power Play for United Way Night including a United Way national anthem singer, an intermission message to fans from United Way campaign co-chair Doug Albrecht, special silent auction and mystery bags sales, and player PSA messages on the jumbotron. The special telecast featured traditional game coverage, with breaks dedicated to the United Way. Fans at home heard from community leaders in support of the United Way, and community members who have been helped by United Way. The Blues donated the evening's broadcast to the United Way of Greater St. Louis in an effort to help the organization reach its annual $65.5 million fundraising goal. Through its funding of nearly 200 health and human service agencies, United Way helps more than one million people a year throughout a 16-county area in Missouri and Illinois. For more information or to give a gift to United Way, please visit www.stl.unitedway.org. 08 Campaign Co Doug Albrecht - 20 -Chair The Blues donated $75,000 as part of Power Play for United Way. St. Louis Blues 14 Fund Golf Classic Blues players, coaches, executives and alumni joined together for a good cause at the 2nd Annual St. Louis Blues 14 Fund Golf Classic in October. Foursomes enjoyed 18 holes of golf with two Blues celebrities in a six-person scramble at Meadowbrook Country Club. Golfers received a special Blues gift, and had the chance to play one hole with Dave Checketts, Blues Owner and Chairman. The day also included lunch, silent and live auctions, and an awards reception. During the awards reception, Blues alumni Jim Roberts and business executive Tony Ponturo were awarded the Barclay Plager Spirit Award. In honor of former Blues player Barclay Plager, the St. Louis Blues present a special award at the reception to a Blues alumni and a member of the St. Louis community, both of whom exemplify the loyalty, pride and passion that Barc had for the game and for St. Louis. Special thanks to Bruce Rubin St. Louis Blues Casino Night More than 200 people braved the snowy January weather to enjoy a tropical paradise at the 2nd Annual St. Louis Blues Casino Night, "Cheeseburgers & A Pair 'O Dice," presented by United Fruit & Produce. The floor of the Scottrade Center was transformed into a Margaritaville-style paradise and casino to raise money for the Blues 14 Fund and Ranken Jordan – A Pediatric Specialty Hospital. Fans and Blues players arrived in their Hawaiian shirts and flip flops to enjoy an evening of casino-style games, food stations, live music and unique auctions. The entire Blues team mingled with guests while serving as dealers at games such as blackjack, roulette and craps. Special thanks to presenting sponsor & Dream Night with the Blues To Benefit Dream Factory The 14th annual Dream Night with the Blues sold out for the first time ever and offered more than 500 fans the chance to meet and play games with Blues players. Players participated in game stations, such as Wii and foosball, and autograph and photo stations. The Dream Factory is a local nonprofit organization working to turn the dreams of seriously ill children into realities. The Dream Factory has no paid employees and more than $0.92 of every dollar contributed to the organization goes directly toward granting dreams for children in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Andy McDonald Andy McDonald Dream Night with the Blues has raised more than $350,000 for Dream Factory since it began. Special thanks to presenting sponsor Special Appearances FANfest During this pre-season event nearly 6,500 fans came out to watch scrimmages, meet their favorite players, and see the new Blues' third jersey. Blues fans also had a chance to appear in the opening video for the 2008-09 season, and enjoy other free activities on the concourse. Blues Breakfast Forum More than 400 fans attended the annual breakfast with Blues players at the Missouri Athletic Club in October. The program featured an introduction of the entire team and a discussion of the upcoming season with Blues management, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the St. Louis Blues 14 Fund. Silent Auctions & Holiday Fundraisers The St. Louis Blues 14 Fund hosted silent auctions and holiday-themed fundraisers at select home games throughout the season. Silent auctions included autographed Blues memorabilia such as sticks, pucks, jerseys and game-used equipment. The annual Festival of Trees and Be My Valentine Auction are special holiday fundraisers, where fans have the chance to bid on items donated by players and their families. Fans also had the chance to purchase themed pucks autographed by Blues players at the Halloween Puck Patch and Luck of the Puck. Silent auction and holiday fundraisers raised a total of more than $70,000 this season to support the St. Louis Blues 14 Fund and other area organizations. Education Blues Bookworms Reading Program presented by The Blues Bookworms Reading Program is a literary initiative to encourage students in grades K – 6 to spend more of their leisure time reading. The free program is available to students in the greater metropolitan St. Louis area and runs from October to January. During the 2008-09 season, nearly 8,000 students in 300 classrooms around the Greater St. Louis area participated. Many students met their goal and earned a free ticket to Blues Bookworms Night in March. Blues players also visited classrooms throughout the season to read and talk with students participating in the program. Newspapers in Education - Hat Trick for Health The St. Louis Blues partnered with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for the Newspapers In Education – Hat Trick for Health Program. The eight-week program provided free newspapers for the 21,500 students that participated. The newspapers featured a health-related article about a Blues player or trainer each week to supplement a weekly workbook lesson. KidSmart School Supply Drive The Blues and captain Eric Brewer teamed up with KidSmart, a local organization that provides school supplies for area students in need, for the first-ever KidSmart School Supply Drive in February. Volunteers collected more than 4,000 donated school supplies at entrances before the game, and $8,000 was raised through a special silent auction and brown bag sale. In addition, Eric Brewer and his wife Rebecca, hosted KidSmart’s Angel Character Award winners in a Club level suite during the game. Youth Hockey Learn to Play Programs The St. Louis Blues 14 Fund awarded $80,000 in cash grants to the St. Louis Missouri Hockey Youth Division to support youth learn to play programs. Youth hockey organizations that received funding included Affton Americans Hockey, Chesterfield Hockey Association, Kirkwood Youth Hockey Association, Meramec Sharks Hockey Club, St. Louis Rockets, St. Peters Spirit Hockey Club, Southern Illinois Ice Hawks Hockey Association, Twin Bridges Lightning, and Springfield Youth Hockey Association. Funds were used to offer prospective hockey players a low cost introduction to youth hockey and also provided scholarships for qualified individuals. Learn to play programs are designed to introduce children to the game of ice hockey through a series of fun on-ice activities, with the average age range being from 5 – 10 years old. Players receive skating instruction, introduction to puck handling and other ice hockey basics. To find the organization near you, please contact the Missouri Hockey Youth Division at (314) 842-6466 or visit www.mohockeyyd.org. Rink Tour Thousands of fans turned out to meet Blues players at the annual rink tours in February. Players signed autographs for fans at ten area ice rinks, and many participated in youth hockey practices. Participating rinks included Affton, Fenton, Lindenwood, Hardee's Ice Plex, East Alton, Kirkwood, U.S. Ice Sports Complex, St. Peters, Shark Tank, and Granite City. Cancer Care and Awareness Pediatric Cancer Awareness Night The Blues partnered with Hinote's Heroes and St. Louis Children's Hospital to bring awareness to pediatric cancer at a game in October. More than 50 children and their families from St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Cancer Center had the opportunity to enjoy a pre-game party, and a post-game meet and greet with Blues players. In addition, the night raised nearly $8,000 from fan donations, a special silent auction and merchandise sales. Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® & Pink at the Rink For the third consecutive year, the Blues partnered with Fox Sports Midwest for the Komen Race for the Cure in Downtown St. Louis. This year Saint Louis University Hospital also supported the team by involving employees and survivors from their cancer center. This was the largest team yet, with 1,270 members raising more than $47,000 for breast cancer research in 2009. The Blues and Saint Louis University Hospital also teamed up for Pink at the Rink during a Blues game in October, raising nearly $12,000 for Komen for the Cure through special stick sales, a silent auction and a special ticket offer. The Blues hosted breast cancer survivors at the game, who also participated in a survivor procession around the concourse. 1,270 fans joined the Blues and Fox Sports Midwest to raise more than $47,000 for Komen Race for the Cure®. Health and Wellness Hospital Visits Throughout the season the Blues visited children’s hospitals throughout the area. Players, coaches and management, along with Louie, went room to room to meet children and their families. Players also gave out Blues gifts and signed autographs during their visits. American Red Cross Blood Drive Nearly 600 people donated blood at the Blues annual blood drive, making it the most successful drive yet. The drive was held at five locations across the Greater St. Louis Area and many fans were greeted by Blues players. Blues General Manager Larry Pleau, and his wife Wendy, served as honorary chairs. Shoot Against Hunger Local scout troops collected more than 700 pounds of non-perishable food items and cash donations during the annual Shoot Against Hunger game, to support the St. Louis Area Foodbank. All fans that donated had the opportunity to go down onto the ice after the game to take a shot on goal. McDonald’s Stick Night The annual McDonald’s Stick Night gave fans the opportunity to win one of 20 game-used sticks and to have it personally autographed by a player after the game. Volunteers sold scratch-off cards for $1 each and raised more than $9,000 to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. Lydia's House Blues wives and girlfriends supported Lydia's House in March by adopting an apartment. Lydia's House provides safe, affordable transitional housing and serves as a place of healing for abused women and their children. The ladies purchased household and decorative items for the apartment, and then spent the day cleaning, decorating and adding all the special touches to make it a home. Nearly 600 people donated blood at the Blues annual blood drive. Helping the Community Jr. Blue for a Day This season marked the first year for Jr. Blue for a Day, an honor for one boy and one girl who is making a difference in the St. Louis community. The 2009 winners were Brian Ott, a 10-year-old who has battled cancer for the last seven years, and Payton McDonnal, an eleven year old who lost her sister Lauren to cancer in 2005. Both Brian and Payton are involved with Friends of Kids with Cancer and have devoted their time to help children with cancer. Brian and Payton, and their families, received a very special day that included watching the morning gameday skate, a contract signing with Blues Owner and Chairman Dave Checketts, special visits from Blues players and management, family photos on the ice at Scottrade Center, and dinner and game tickets in a Club Level suite. Salute to Military Night Operation Homefront volunteers collected more than 1,200 care package items and $1,400 in cash donations at a Blues game in November. All items were sent to troops serving overseas, and fans also had the opportunity to sign cards for soldiers to be sent with the packages. Toys for Tots Blues wives and families teamed up with the U.S. Marine Corps for the annual Toys for Tots collection. Fans donated $3,600 in cash and more than 300 toys for area children in need. Barkin’ for the Blues Barret’s Buddies & David’s Dogs The Blues held the first-ever Barkin' for the Blues Night in January, raising nearly $13,000 for Stray Rescue of St. Louis and the St. Charles Humane Society through a silent auction, and “doggie bag” and raffle ticket sales. The most popular part of the evening was the special adoption area on the concourse, where fans could meet puppies and dogs for adoption from these organizations. Barkin' for the Blues is part of Barret's Buddies and David's Dogs, programs started by Blues players Barret Jackman (Stray Rescue) and David Backes (St. Charles Humane Society) to help neglected and abused animals at these organizations. Verizon Wireless Hopeline Phone Drive Fans donated used cell phones, batteries, and other accessories at donation stations before a Blues game. Donated items benefited Hopeline, a program that puts recycled wireless phones in the hands of domestic violence victims. Sharing the Game Community Ticket Programs The Fan-to-Fan and Kids Night Out programs allow our corporate partners, Season Ticket Holders, the Blues organization and others to donate game tickets to more than 80 non-profit organizations throughout Greater St. Louis. Through these ticket programs the St. Louis Blues 14 Fund donated thousands of tickets, providing the chance for many children in the area to attend a Blues game. Listed below are many of the organizations that participated in our Community Ticket Programs. American Diabetes Association • American Red Cross • Angels' Arms • Big Brothers Big Sisters • BJC Hospice Pediatric Wings Program • Boys Hope Girls Hope • Camp Rainbow • Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital • Central Institute for the Deaf • Covenant House of Missouri • Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments • Discovering Options • Diverstiy Awareness Partnership • Do the Right Thing • Dream Factory • Family Resource Center • Friends of Kids with Cancer • Gateway Locomotives • Girls on the Run • Grace Hill Settlement House • H.I.S. K.I.D.S. • Haven of Grace • Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club • Humane Society of Missouri • Komen St. Louis • Life Skills • Lydia's House • Make-A-Wish • Mathews Dickey Boys & Girls Club • Mentor St. Louis • Missouri School for the Blind • National Children's Cancer Society • Nurses for Newborns • Our Little Haven • Progressive Youth Center • Pujols Family Foundation • Ranken Jordan - A Pediatric Specialty Hospital • Rebuilding Together St. Louis • Ronald McDonald House • Special Olympics • St. Louis Children's Hospital • St. Louis Crisis Nursery • St. Louis for Kids • The Joy Foundation • Variety, The Children's Charity of St. Louis • YWCA Tkachuk’s Corner For the second season, Keith Tkachuk and his wife Chantal, sponsored Tkachuk's Corner to provide non-profit organizations with an opportunity to attend a Blues game. The Tkachuks generously purchased 20 Plaza Level season tickets that were donated to local organizations that serve children and families. EJ’s Juniors Erik Johnson teamed up with Northwestern Mutual – The Qualy Group this season for EJ's Juniors. Through EJ's Juniors, children and families from select non-profit organizations enjoy a special night at a Blues game in a penthouse suite. The suite was donated to a different non-profit organization for every Blues home game. Hockey is for Everyone Sponsored by AmerenUE and the St. Louis Blues teamed up for Hockey is for Everyone, a program that provides Blues tickets to 600 children from four local charities to attend 12 games throughout the season. Prior to six of the games, Blues coaches hosted a Chalk Talk and discussed hockey, teamwork and sportsmanship with the kids. In addition, the children received a sweatshirt, hard hat and meal at the game. Centene Community Nights Centene Corporation hosted Centene Community Nights at 12 Blues games throughout the season. Fifty children and families from local charities were invited to attend the game, enjoy dinner, and also received a Centene and Blues hat. The charities were welcomed in-game and also received a live spot on KMOX. In-Kind Donations The St. Louis Blues are proud to support local charitable organizations in their fundraising efforts through in-kind donations of tickets, autographed merchandise and more. Listed below are some of the recipients during the 2008-09 season. Action 4 Autism Alzheimer’s Association American Cancer Society American Diabetes Association American Friends Service Committee American Heart Association American Parkinson Disease Association American Red Cross Angels' Arms Animal House Fund Army National Guard Art Saint Louis Arthritis Foundation Association for the Protection of Animals Atonement Lutheran School Avery Elementary School Bayless School District Belleville School District Big Brothers Big Sisters Bishop DuBourg High School BJC Behavioral Health Buddy Fund Camp Hope Campbell Montessori School Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital Carondelet Community Betterment Federation Cathedral Grade School Cedar Hill Elementary School Center For Survivors of Torture and War Trauma Central Institute for the Deaf Children's Advocacy Center of East Central Missouri Collinsville High School Columbus School Community Counseling Center Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments Disabled Athlete Sports Association Diversity Awareness Partnership Earth Angel Aviators East Belleville YMCA Edwardsville High School Band Eureka High Onstage! Show Choir Evangelical Children’s Home Faithful Friends of St. Louis Family Resource Center Family Shield Ministries Fire Fighters Association of Missouri Forder Elementary School Friends of Kids with Cancer Geri's Heart Girls on the Run Glen Carbon Elementary H.I.S. K.I.D.S. Habitat for Humanity- Edwardsville Hancock Place Middle School Health Resources Center Henry School Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club Incarnate Word Academy Jonesburg Elementary Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International Kehrs Mill Elementary School Kids 4 Kids Foundation Kids in the Middle Lafayette Work Center Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Life Skills Lift For Life Logos Alternative School Lupus Foundation of America Make-A-Wish Foundation Maple Grove Elementary Marquette Catholic High School Mental Health Association of Greater St. Louis Missouri Adoption Heart Gallery Missouri Police Juvenile Officers Association Missouri School for the Blind Missouri Special Olympics Mothers Against Drunk Driving Muscular Dystrophy Association National Bone Marrow Foundation National Children's Cancer Society National Kidney Foundation New Life Evangelistic Center Northwest St. Clair County Fire Protection District Nurses for Newborns Old Newsboys Day Our Little Haven PAIGE Foundation Parkway Central High School Parkway Early Childhood Center Pattonville Education Foundation PAW Stoppers Inc Police Welfare Association Primo Foundation Progressive Youth Connection Ranken Jordan - A Pediatric Specialty Hospital Ranken Technical School Rebuilding Together St. Louis Relay For Life Ritenour School District Ronald McDonald House Room at the Inn RTR/Deaf Community Center Share - Pregnancy Loss South Side Day Nursery St. Baldrick's Foundation St. Charles City-County Library Foundation St. Charles Humane Society St. Joseph Catholic School St. Louis Arc Inc. St. Louis Children's Hospital St. Louis County Police Memorial Golf Tournament St. Louis Crisis Nursery St. Louis for Kids St. Louis K-Life Ministries St. Louis Learning Disabilities Association St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department St. Louis Wheelchair Athletic Association St. Louis Zoo St. Mary's Health Center St. Vincent De Paul Society Stray Rescue of St. Louis Strides for Kids Susan G. Komen St. Louis The Joy Foundation The Wilson School Tower Grove Park Triad Middle School Troy/Maryville Chamber of Commerce United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation United Way Webster University Wentzville Police D.A.R.E. Wild Canid Survival and Research Center Wilkinson Early Childhood Center YWCA 2009-10 Community Calendar The St. Louis Blues are proud to support the community through a variety of in-game charitable activities, ticket & memorabilia donations, educational programs and special events. For a complete list of programs and events, visit www.stlouisblues.com/community. Schedule subject to change. November February Salute to Military Night Thursday, November 12 vs. Nashville Be My Valentine Auction Friday, February 12 vs. Toronto & Saturday, February 13 vs. Washington Shoot Against Hunger Saturday, November 21 vs. New York Islanders March December Dream Night with the Blues Sunday, March 7 Festival of Trees Friday, December 11 vs. Edmonton Friday, December 18 vs. Tampa Bay Luck of the Puck Tuesday, March 16 vs. Colorado Toys For Tots Tuesday, December 15 vs. Calgary Friday, December 18 vs. Tampa Bay January Red Cross Blood Drive Monday, January 11 Barkin’ for the Blues Saturday, January 23 vs. Anaheim St. Louis Blues Casino Night Sunday, January 31 KidSmart School Supply Drive Blues Bookworms Night Sunday, March 28 vs. Edmonton Thank You A Special Thank You to our community program sponsors and special event sponsors. The 2008-09 season was a tremendous success for the St. Louis Blues 14 Fund and all of our community initiatives. Our continued success and increased contribution to the St. Louis community would not be possible with the support of our program and event sponsors. Erik Johnson The Qualy Group Bruce Rubin Keith & Chantal Tkachuk American Airlines Chevys Fresh Mex Cort Furniture Grey Eagle JR Cigars Lordo's Diamonds Pepsi St. Louis Business Journal Photo Credits: Mark Buckner, Brian Spurgeon, Blues Community Relations. St. Louis Blues 14 Fund St. Louis Blues Community Relations 1401 Clark Avenue at Brett Hull Way St. Louis, MO 63103 communityrelations@stlblues.com www.stlouisblues.com