The Amputee Coalition is partnering with the Minnesota Warriors Ice Hockey Program, a team for disabled veterans, to create the Minnesota Warriors Hockey Recruitment Initiative. Funded by a $20,000 grant from the US Olympic Committee through Veterans Affairs, the initiative will work toward enhancing marketing, media and fundraising efforts for the team.
The Warriors program is divided into two teams for men and women: standup/amputee and sled hockey. According to a press release, the team has grown from four players in 2010 to 24 players today. It is estimated that the program should be able to support at least 240 players across the state of Minnesota with a minimum of 12 teams.
“The Amputee Coalition is proud to join forces with the Minnesota Warriors Ice Hockey Program, an organization that aligns with our goals to educate, integrate and to help people reach their full potential after a loss,” Kendra Calhoun, president and chief executive officer of the Amputee Coalition, stated in the release. “We thank the US Olympic Committee and Veterans Affairs for awarding this grant, which will be designed to increase recruitment and public awareness so the team can realize their goals for expansion for fundraising to achieve sustainability of the program into the future.”
