AHL, clubs raise $3M for charities

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that more than $3 million was raised over the course of the 2011-12 season by the AHL and its 30 member clubs for donation to various charitable causes and relief funds across North America.

Among the many recipients of the AHL’s charity endeavors this season were:

• Ace Bailey Children’s Foundation
• American/Canadian Cancer Societies
• American/Canadian Diabetes Associations
• American Heart Association
• American/Canadian Red Cross
• Autism Speaks
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Boys & Girls Clubs
• Cuts for the Cure
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Jimmy Fund
• Habitat for Humanity
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
• Make-A-Wish Foundation
• March of Dimes
• Movember Foundation
• Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Ronald McDonald House Charities
• Salvation Army
• Special Olympics
• Susan G. Komen For the Cure
• Toys for Tots
• Wounded Warrior Project

    and many more…

In addition to monies raised, AHL teams gave back to their local communities through numerous activities, including more than 1,600 visits by players and coaches to schools, hospitals, libraries and other locations and more than 3,300 more mascot appearances. More than 150,000 game tickets were donated to local charitable groups, and items such as food, coats, Christmas gifts and hockey equipment were collected at various drives organized by AHL clubs. Additionally, charities in all AHL cities were the beneficiaries of a generous donation of game tickets by Reebok, the Premier Equipment Supplier of the AHL.

Since 2001-02, the American Hockey League and its teams have raised more than $27 million for charities through their community relations efforts.

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and the 2011-12 season marked the 11th consecutive year in which more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America.