AHL, teams give back to the community

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that more than $3.6 million was raised over the course of the 2013-14 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
• Alzheimer’s Association
• American/Canadian Cancer Societies
• American Heart Association
• American Lung Association
• American/Canadian Red Cross
• Autism Speaks
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• Boy Scouts of America/Girl Scouts of the USA
• Boys & Girls Clubs
• Children’s Miracle Network
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Jimmy Fund
• Do It For Daron
• Habitat for Humanity
• Make-A-Wish Foundation
• Movember Foundation
• Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Muscular Dystrophy Association
• Ronald McDonald House Charities
• Salvation Army
• Special Olympics
• Susan G. Komen For the Cure
• Toys for Tots
• United Way
• YMCA/YWCA
   and many more…

In addition to monies raised, AHL teams gave back to their local communities through numerous activities, including more than 1,500 visits by players and coaches to schools, hospitals, libraries and other locations and more than 3,800 more mascot appearances. More than 150,000 game tickets were donated to local charitable groups, and items such as food, coats, holiday 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 CCM, the Premier Equipment Supplier of the AHL.

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 2013-14 season marked the 13th consecutive year in which more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America.