Jeff Kyrzakos and the Rapid City Rush (CHL) ran Give Moore for the Holidays this year out in South Dakota. They invited 20 members from the local Boys Club to the game on December 21 against the Arizona Sundogs. It was the perfect opportunity for the Boys Club to see their favorite Rush players in action. The Rush came out on top with a 4-2 win over the Sundogs and the kids got to see Kyrzakos score his tenth goal of the season.

Along with attending a game, the kids were given a bag full of team gifts from the guys as early Christmas presents. It seemed that the tickets were the highlight though, as Rush tickets are a hot commodity in Rapid City. It was many of the kids’ first time coming to watch the team play and it became a night they’ll never forget.

“Our games are a real tough ticket to get in this town so it was great to be able to provide each of them with one. The kids all seemed to have a blast and the entire evening went over really well,” said Kyrzakos.

All season the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL) have been out and about giving back to people in the community. Whether it’s volunteering their time at a local after school program, reading to kids, or showing up for the occasional visit at a shelter, they’ve focused a lot of their free team on making sure the Las Vegas surrounding areas know they care.

In November the entire team spent the day helping 3-Square Food Bank - a local initiative that supplies food to over 600 of their Program Partners throughout Southern Nevada. The day consisted of putting together bag meals for the needy families at these partner locations. The players were divided up and put to work on a few different jobs.

“Some guys unpackaged the large boxes so the food was easy to divide. Others collected and packed the bags with a variety of foods. The rest of the guys broke down the boxes and plastic for recycling. It was a fun experience. We did a lot of work, but it was only one evening. It’s a real eye opener when you imagine how much needs to be done on a daily basis” said Wrangler Defenseman, Mike Madill.

The opportunities didn’t stop there though. Earlier this month the team went to Opportunity Village and volunteered in all of their activities for the evening. Opportunity Village is a non-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities. They provide them with vocational training, employment and social recreation services that make their lives more productive and interesting. Again, the players were divided up throughout the village. Some guys worked the information booth and others helped with rides and games. All proceeds received from those who came for the night was given back to charity.

“This was another great event. Lots of locals and tourists came out to see the lights, had a hot chocolate and got into the winter spirit. A lot of people benefited from the whole experience,” adds Madill.

The Las Vegas Wranglers have so much more planned throughout the season to give back. Getting out there and showing their fans and supporters how much they care about the city they play in is at the top of their list. They believe their position gives them the unique opportunity to give back to those less fortunate, and they intend to take advantage of it.

“I first heard about the Stick to Reading program from a colleague in another KPMG office.  As soon as he described the program and how their employees got involved, I knew we had to get involved too.” Trace Chapman, KPMG LLP.

A connection was made this past summer which would involve HP4K and KPMG’s partnership with First Book. First Book is a nonprofit organization that provides new books to children in need by addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. Although not all Stick to Reading programs happen in disadvantaged school districts, many programs look for schools who need that extra push. The goal is to provide a fun, exciting and affective way to get kids back into reading.

Through these partnerships member Scott Reynolds, KPMG, and First Book were able to facilitate the gift of a brand new, age-appropriate book for each student who participated inMidway Elementary School’s Stick to Reading.

“I was filled with great joy when the crowd cheered and clapped upon this announcement,” said Trace.

As a retired player, Reynolds was able to spend his time helping to organize the program and stay actively involved in the entire process. His focus was to work with KPMG to ensure the kids would be provided with the most exciting Stick to Reading finale the program has ever seen.

“It was a great opportunity to be involved in the entire process of Stick to Reading even after retiring from the sport,” Scott said, “KPMG and First Book gave the kids of Midway Elementary the best gift they could possibly get in order to keep the ball rolling with what Stick to Reading is all about.”

While playing alongside their hometown hockey heroes might be highlight of the program for most of the kids, the gift of a book for each student is exactly what is needed after a few weeks of putting reading back at the center of education and nightly activities. A big thank you goes out to KPMG and First Book for making this Stick to Reading a memorable one for all those involved.

“The students were thrilled to receive the books from KPMG.  They opened them immediately and began to read, some with partners or small groups.  I decided to make it an impromptu reading circle because I knew there was no way I could get them to put the books down.” Shelly Starline, Midway Elementary School, Fourth Grade Teacher

The boys from the Cincinnati Cyclones debuted the Stick to Reading program at Midway Elementary school in November. The players challenged the students to read as much as they could over the last few weeks in order to play alongside them in a floor hockey game.

‘Clones forward, Dan Eves, said “The Stick to Reading program at Midway was a huge success. The kids and faculty were very enjoyable to work with. The students did an amazing job with their reading and I think everyone -including the staff- had a blast with the ball hockey game!”

There were 10 players who participated in the program from start to finish and six were able to play in the floor hockey game. The team’s mascot was also able to play and that really motivated the kids. The program was a positive experience for all of those involved this year.

“The Stick to Reading Program was an uplifting and motivating opportunity for our students at Midway. From the initial kick-off date, students walked around daily with books in hand, reading at every free moment. The parents were motivated as well. This program didn’t just encourage reading to learn, it encouraged families to read together at home.  It was a true honor to have HP4K and the Cincinnati Cyclones provide this experience to the Midway community.” Shelly Starline, Fourth Grade Teacher, Midway Elementary School

Check out more photos from Midway Elementary’s Stick to Reading program on our Facebook page.

He started out a rookie goalie. A dreamer with a bare upper lip. Over the course of the last four weeks Guneet has struggled with his mustache growth and battled against his opponents to come out a champion. He led his second league recreational hockey team to a victory  and has helped raise awareness for Movember and men’s health. Two birds with one ‘stache.

There are only 6 days left to get your mustache pics in to win the prize! Send your picture to info@hp4k.org and join Team HP4K for Movember 2011! Want to donate to our cause? Check out our Mo Page and choose any one of your favorite HP4K’ers or you can choose to donate to the overall team. The HP4K Network has raised over $1000 so far. Let’s see if we can double that total in the final days!

We catch up with Guneet during his first career playoff game this week. He believes his Movember mustache has given him a little edge that allows him to rob his opponents of any chances.

Follow Guneet’s progress this Movember as he joins forces with HP4K, and other networks to raise funds and awareness for men’s health issues. Currently his networks have raised over $300,000 for Movember!

Ian McNally, who cofounded HP4K alongside his Princeton teammates, leads Team HP4K with $395 raised. The Guelph Gryphons men’s ice hockey team rounds out the top five on the leader board.

Join our team and donate your face this month to Movember! We’re collecting your best mustache photos for a chance to win an awesome HP4K prize. Check out all our members participating through our Facebook page.

Brandon Bollig - Rockford IceHogs

We’re officially two weeks into one of the most participated in, world-wide, initiatives HP4K has ever been a part of. After 14 days, our network and Team HP4K have raised over $1100 in support of men’s health awareness and Movember.

With 13 participating teams and dozens of players, Team HP4K spans six countries and three continents. There are over 1.1 million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas out there and we’re happy to be a part of the group. Take a look at our guys sporting their pre-stache baby-faces here, and stay tuned for mid-month updates beginning later this week.

Do you want to take part in this huge, month-long event? We would like you to send in your best mustache picture for a chance to win some awesome HP4K prizes. The best ‘stache will be chosen at the end of the month. Pictures should be sent to info@hp4k.org and include your name and email address so we can contact you if you win!

The Boys of Team HP4K

Last week we met Guneet. This week we find out a little bit more about what makes him tick. From his pre-game push ups, to his lessons on life, Guneet shows what it means to be a real fighter in a world where first-time goalies are usually much, much younger.

Though his skills may rival those only of the pee-wee leagues, Guneet uses his new found goalie fame to bring awareness to men’s health and Movember. His ‘stache doesn’t quite meet his usual standards but with a few weeks left he’s optimistic about where things are going.

Join Team HP4K or HP4K’s Network (if you’re already part of a team) this month in the fight against cancer. Send in your best mustache photos for a chance to win some HP4K prizes and something from your hometown team. Send your pictures and information to info@hp4k.org and check out all of our participating member photos on Flickr and Facebook.

Follow and donate to Guneet’s initiative this month through his Mo Space.

It’s the month formerly known as November. Every year men across the world grow their mustaches to support men’s health awareness, specifically towards prostate cancer, in what has become known as Movember.

These men are known as Mo Bro’s and their meticulously groomed upper lips have become a phenomenon. So much so that, teamed with their Mo Sistas, they are gathering funds through sponsorship and generous donations to fight the good fight.

This year Team HP4K has joined forces with the likes of many professional hockey players to prompt conversation and help to raise the hockey world’s awareness of these diseases that affect so many. Among these athletes stands one strong and proud individual who is leading his team’s fight through the second division of the University of British Columbia’s intramural hockey program.

Meet Guneet Singh. The newest member of Hockey Players For Kids. Follow Guneet’s progress, here, each week to see his team battle against their adversaries and watch how one man’s upper lip can make such a difference.

Join Team HP4K or HP4K’s Network (if you’re already part of a team) this month in the fight against cancer. Send in your best mustache photos for a chance to win some HP4K prizes and something from your hometown team. Send your pictures and information to info@hp4k.org and check out all of our participating member photos on Flickr and Facebook.

Follow Guneet’s progress this month through his Mo Space.

One of HP4K’s newest members for the 2011-12 hockey season, Kevin McNamara, not only brings with him a love for the game and philanthropic spirit, but he also opens up a new door for the organization.

As part of his senior year at Colgate University, McNamara was challenged to create an organization of his own which led to the ECAC’s newest charitable platform, Goals for Good.

Goals for Good’s mission is to provide a vehicle inspiring people to donate to chosen non-profit organizations through collegiate ice hockey competition.

Giving back to the communities that have supported and been home to the teams of the ECAC is the driving force behind this charitable project. The captains of each ECAC school has partnered their team with a charity in close relation to the team, school, and/or community.

The ECAC has always been known to be one of the most competitive leagues in the country. Goals for Good will show that this spirit reaches far beyond the ice surface. By making this project a charitable competition with various bonuses for the top performing teams and their communities, Goals for Good hopes to bring an increased amount of aid and awareness to these charities this season.

You can support Hockey Players for Kids through Princeton University‘s page beginning October 25 or find your favorite team, your favorite organization and donate any amount toward their goals for the season.

You can also find Goals for Good on Facebook and Twitter.