Blighters Blog - Part 12

I first got involved with HP4K (Hockey Players for Kids) 3 years ago when Mac introduced me to it. A teammate of his, Dustin Sproat, started it with help from Mac while they were playing in Cincinnati together. HP4K helps organize professional hockey players all around the world and get them involved in charity work wherever they are playing.

Having been an active member with charity work in the past with the teams I had played on it was a no brainer to get involved with HP4K. My experience in the past with charity work was great but some teams were definitely more active than others. HP4K sets a template for its members to get involved in their community through different programs like “stick to reading” for example. The first thing I did for HP4K was help set up a fundraiser in Bridgeport CT when I was playing there to buy Christmas presents for children in need in the area. It was a great experience and was very easy to accomplish with the guidelines set up by HP4K to follow. The Bridgeport Soundtigers were kind enough to match the money we raised and a lot of kids were able to benefit with a Christmas they would not have had otherwise.

One of the best parts about being a hockey player for me is having the time and ability to be active in the community with charity work. However this year has really surprised me as even with our busy schedule while being in school we have been able to find time to still do the charity work that we have done in the past. I understand a lot of people feel like they do not have time to get involved but I bet they would be surprised at how little time you actually need to have an impact on someone. It is an incredibly rewarding experience to see the difference you can make in a child’s life by giving them just a little bit of your time. I strongly suggest anyone who has been thinking about getting involved with charity work that isn’t sure if they have the time to just go ahead and do it. I promise it will be a rewarding experience and well worth it. I will never forget the first time in Toledo that we bought presents for underprivileged kids and gave them to them on Christmas Eve. To see how excited and thankful they were about the gifts was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life.

I’d like to personally thank the Cardiff Devils organization for allowing us to have an “HP4K night” on Saturday and auction off our jerseys for charity. The devils organization is first class all the way and has been extremely helpful for us. I’d also like to thank all of the fans that will be a part of the auction for the jerseys and those that have already donated to HP4K. Your help truly means a lot and we really appreciate it. Your help will go a long way to give kids a great Christmas this year!