Jarome Iginla Receives NHL Foundation Award for Communtity Service Off the BlackAthlete Sports Wire Posted: Friday, June 11, 2004

Jarome Iginla

NEW YORK, NY.--- Jarome Iginla led his team to the Stanley Cup Final and today he is announced as the leader in community service among all National Hockey League players.

The Calgary Flames captain has been named this year’s recipient of the NHL Foundation Player Award for his commitment and service to various charities.  The award is accompanied by a grant of $25,000 from the NHL Foundation to further causes Iginla supports.

Iginla takes an active role in all programs that the Calgary Flames offer to the community.  Most notably, he has been a spokesperson for the team’s Reading …Give it a Shot Program during the past six seasons.  As spokesperson, Iginla is involved with photo shoots and PSAs to help promote the program and visits schools during the season to speak to students on the importance of reading.  Iginla also supports KidSport Calgary. The organization assists children from low-income families so they can participate in sports, including hockey.  With each goal Iginla scores he donates $1,000 to KidSport Calgary. His generosity has provided more than 1,500 underprivileged children with the opportunity to participate in sport since the program was founded during the 2000-01 season.  
 
Having a history of Diabetes in his family, Iginla wanted to help find a cure for the disease and is doing so by assisting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Calgary.  Two years ago, he was named JDRF Honorary Special Events Chair and was recently named the presenter of its annual golf tournament.  He has also supported JDRF by attending their awareness month launch and by participating in their Walk for a Cure event.  

“I am truly honored to be chosen as the recipient of the NHL Foundation player award,” said Iginla.  “My teammates and I take great pride in being members of the Calgary community.”
 
In its seventh year, the NHL Foundation Player Award recognizes an NHL player who applies the core values of hockey – commitment, perseverance and teamwork – to enrich the lives of people in his community. Last year, Darren McCarty of the Detroit Red Wings was honored for his charitable work.  Other recipients were: Ron Francis (2002); Olaf Kolzig (2001); Adam Graves (2000); Rob Ray (1999); and Kelly Chase (1998).

 “We are very proud to award Jarome the 2004 NHL Foundation Player Award,” said Bernadette Mansur, NHL Foundation Executive Director.  “His work with KidSport Calgary and other charities in the Calgary area exemplifies the efforts of all our NHL athletes who give tirelessly to their communities.”

For the past two summers, Iginla has hosted his own non-profit summer hockey school in the city of Calgary .  Last summer’s hockey school provided 100 young hockey players the opportunity to receive on and off the ice instruction while raising $7,000 for Easter Seal’s Camp Horizon. This summer’s school is scheduled for August and the proceeds will again be donated to charity.  

The St. Albert , Alberta native also has taken a special interest in the Canadian Spinal Research Organization, in particular its Shoot for a Cure Program.  Shoot for a Cure raises money for spinal cord research, promotes safe hockey and increases awareness of neck injuries in hockey.  In addition, Iginla leads his teammates during hospital visits, at their annual Celebrity Charity Golf Classic, the Celebrity Waiter Dinner and the team’s annual wheelchair hockey game versus the Townsend Tigers.  

The NHL Foundation judging panel consists of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman; former New York Islander and New York Ranger and current NHL Director of Alumni Relations Pat Flatley; NHL Foundation Executive Director Bernadette Mansur; and NHL Director of Community & Diversity Programming Kenneth Martin, Jr.

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