2019 DAWG NATION ANNUAL REPORT PLAY HARD. PLAY FAIR. GIVE BACK DAWGNATIONHOCKEY.ORG | 10658 W CENTENNIAL RD SUITE 200 | 720-432-9471 MISSION We, the DAWG Nation Hockey Foundation, are committed to supporting the hockey family in times of in times of crises due to catastrophic injury or illness. By accessing the unique power and compassion of the hockey community, we celebrate life and provide a soft place to land. VISION DAWG Nation believes in the power of ice hockey to give persons with and without disabilities the opportunity to gain independence and confidence. We will do this by harnessing the power & generosity of the hockey community to help amateur ice hockey players and their families in times of need. At DAWG Nation, we believe that every ice hockey player regardless of level or ability should Play Hard, Play Fair, Give Back.TM IMPACT Since inception our Foundation has been able to provide over $2,000,000 dollars to positively impact the lives of many families in need. 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 OUR AMAZING STORIES The Dawg Nation Hockey Foundation exists for one reason, to help adult hockey players and their families in times of crises due to catastrophic injury or illness. Dawg Nation has provided resources and amazing acts of human kindness that have not only changed the lives of our recipients, but also our volunteers at the same time. David Jacober After serving his country, David went onto a long career with the Pueblo police force. He was also an avid hockey player and lifelong St. Louis Blues fan. In 2018, David received some devastating news that nobody should ever hear, stage four esophageal cancer. While DAWG Nation helped the Jacober family with a check, our greater gift was creating a magical night for father and son. We celebrated life with David, his family, and his friends by first taking in the Avs/Blues game, and of course his beloved Blues won 3-0! One of David’s dreams was to meet his favorite Blue, Vladimir Tarasenko, so in true Dawg fashion we made that dream a reality! And thanks to our friends at the Avalanche and Blues, we were able to toss in a signed Tarasenko sweater, which Tarasenko personalized on the spot!! That year was made even more special when the Blues won their first Stanley Cup in their fifty year history. All of us at Dawg Nation stand with Jacober family as they mourned the loss of David in January of 2020. We were grateful to be a part of David Jacober’s journey. Jason Shepperly A pretty special day here for all of us at Dawg Nation as we had the honor to present the final check to Jason “Shep” Shepperly and his lovely wife Ashley, surprising them yet again with a larger than expected final total, in excess of $74K! Jason’s story is so compelling and his character so stellar (on and off the ice) that donations continued to roll in even after the last puck had been dropped at Dawg Bowl IX. "DAWG Nation is by far the best organization for disabled veterans. What thy did for me and for my family was unbelievable and changed the course of our lives forever. The donation we received helped us get back on our feet and changed our lives beyond words. Thank you DAWG Nation, not only do you enrich lives, you save them!" Jason Shepperly Derek Cahill Derek is an avid hockey player, playing for the Frisky Squirrels at the Edge as well as other area teams. The hockey community means the world to Derek. He learned how to skate and how to walk at the same time. Hockey has been embedded in his family since his New Hampshire childhood. Derek was injured in a tournament Saturday, July 20th 2019. After a severe spleen rupture, he spent six nights in an ICU and three more nights in the surgical hospital unit. The bills from this injury were piling up on Derek and Kaylee Pierce, who were in the process of planning a long awaited wedding celebration for July of 2020. Before the injury, Derek was deep in the process of finding a new job. Their family was down to one vehicle before Dawg Nation and our vast network of in-kind donors surprised the Cahill's with a "new" vehicle. Chris Stockert It was a spectacular day at Family Sports as the Arapahoe Hockey community allowed us to be part of an emotional tribute to Chris Stockert. Chris was a long time Arapahoe Hockey coach, teammate, friend, devoted husband and father. Chris’ life was cut short on April 5th leaving behind his loving wife Annette and two sons, Tillman and Easton. DAWG Nation was blessed to be part of an incredible display of support as we were able to hand the Stockert family a check for over $20,000!! There were countless displays of love and respect for Chris and his family as unselfish acts of kindness were in abundance as this wonderful man was remembered. Jeff Rodell Jeff and Krystalyn Rodell have 3 awesome young children. Their oldest, Jack, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in December of 2018. Like his dad, young Jack loves hockey. He’s had a stick in his hand every day since his dad took him to Quebec in 2017 while coaching the Foothills squirt AA team. He would love nothing more than to follow in his dad’s footsteps and fight to win a college national championship – but first Jack has to finish winning his fight with leukemia. The hockey community once again rose up to aid this wonderful family. With the combination of a public skate, auction, generous donations and Dawg Nation match we were able to provide the family for a check of $23,700!!!! DAWG Nation later partnered with NAIOP Colorado Developing Leaders and presented the Rodell's with another check to offset their mounting medical bills. Jack has since been deemed cancer free! Milan Hejduk "I partner with Dawg Nation because I have seen firsthand how this organization changes lives and gives back to those in need." Milan Hejduk, NHL Legend OUR EVENTS DAWG BOWL DAWG Bowl IX exceeded even our wildest expectations! Hugs, smiles, laughter, and tears were in abundance throughout the weekend. We once again created memories that will truly last a lifetime and helped changed lives through the incredible generosity of so many! This year’s Survivor Game was one of our best, with teams that brought an avalanche of powerful stories, filled with inspiring individuals and celebrating some deep friendships. We had the pleasure of welcoming two disabled veterans to the ice this year, Jason Shepperly and Jerry DeVaul, both remarkable men and incredible athletes who play sled hockey. Dawg Bowl IX also included some of the world’s top Paralympians, as national team players from both the United States and Canada graced the ice in a fast action game on Saturday. It was an honor to recognize Jason Shepperly, a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor recipient, at the Survivor Game and present him with a check for $65K, which grew another $9K over the next week. We also presented an $11,500 check to Lucas O’Connor, a referee, who was recovering from a broken leg and associated medical bills. Always appropriate to support one of the referees at the DAWG Bowl as they donate all their fees for the entire tournament! TEE IT UP FOR DAWG NATION An incredible day at Highlands Ranch Golf Club culminated with the presentation of a check for $50,000 to Todd Smith. Todd was a single father who had done an amazing job raising two very gifted young ladies, Tatianna (20) and Hailey (16). Todd passed in November following the golf tournament from a rare form of cancer called Cholangiocarcinoma. Despite the odds, Todd showed us all what the importance of being a good father means to the strength and success of your children. We were all on hand to witness something emotional, powerful, uplifting and inspirational when a group of people, all moving in the same direction for a common goal, made miracles happen. The entire room was moved to tears as they watched the numbers climb, even after the check was presented, exceeding even our wildest expectations. Thank you to all who volunteered, participated, sponsored, donated, attended and made September 9th a remarkable day to remember. This event and its powerful check presentation doesn’t happen without all of our hole sponsors, beverage cart sponsors, hole-in-one sponsors, dinner sponsors and amazing volunteers. All of this generosity and hard work helped to create moments where a dying father was able to rest a little easier knowing the community was helping him care for his daughters. STAND UP FOR DAWG NATION Each year, this show features some of the top headline comedians in Denver and always sells out. This year was no different despite being rescheduled due to a winter storm called the bomb cyclone! “Stand Up for Dawg Nation IX” was another spectacular event on all levels as we combined tears, cheers and of course laughs! The generosity was humbling and powerful as we once again set records on every front! Many incredible moments made this one of our most memorable nights ever. A big shout out to our great comedians - Brandt Tobler, David Rodriguez, Elliot Woolsey and Sam Adams! Of course it wouldn’t be a DAWG event without a check presentation or two.