I want to know who wants to win prizes!

Today's I want to know Wednesday is this:

I want to know who wants to win a prize.

Prizes are up for grabs!!!  The contest involves guessing the correct identity of the special guest for the DinoMights fundraiser on November 16, 2009.  Leave a Comment if you think you know. Here are your clues so far:

1) I'm an important part of hockey history.  I live in Canada, but travel a lot.

2) On my travels I've spent more time in cooler weather climates.  On occasion, I've spent time in warm weather, but I can't swim.

A Big Announcement

Danny with inquisitive look, wondering who will be our special guest at the 

2009 DinoMights Annual Fundraiser

If you want to get important and interesting guests to attend your events it is important to book them early.  So, although it is only July 7, we have an important announcement to make about one of our special guests at the 2009 DinoMights Annual Fundraiser.  The event will be held on November 16, 2009 at International Market Square.  Guests will enjoy desserts by D'Amico Catering, a student led program, and a Silent Auction.  They will also have the opportunity to get an up close look at our special guest.

Can you guess who the special guest will be? Leave a comment if you think you know.  (No fair if you are on staff, on the fundraiser committee, or a close friend whom I have already told.  If you know already just play along.)  Here's today's clue:

1) I'm an important part of hockey history.  I live in Canada, but travel a lot.  Who am I?

We will reserve an apparel item from this year's fundraiser for the first person to guess correctly by leaving a comment.  We will add new clues each day until someone guesses.  (The apparel has not been ordered yet.)

  

I want to know Wednesdays have often focused on the NHL. Today is the first day of free agency and our Minnesota Wild hero Marian Gaborik is off the market. He became a New York Ranger today. So here's a few questions for Gabby himself (Close caption to Marian Gaborik: If you are actually reading this please leave a comment. It would make this blog super cool.)

1) I want to know do you remember when the Wild went so deep into the playoffs in 2003 and you did so well?

My friend and Co-Squirt coach at the time, Benj Smith, and I watched most of the games together. We were both broken up with our girlfriends, so we spent the spring watching the Wild and healing from our break ups. It was a pretty special time. Thanks Marian.

2) I want to know if you noticed that we flew on the same airplane home from the All-Star Game in Atlanta?

We noticed you. It was quite a thrill to be flying home on the same flight as the person we had been cheering for in the game.

3) I want to know if you felt thanked for hosting us in your suite, Gaborik's Guests?

It turned out to be our Squirt team party. The kids loved it. They asked your agent what you like to do in your spare time, and he said that you like video games. They like you even more now.

Hockey in the Hood Day 4: Carlson Foundation and Lenny

On the last day of hockey camp we had a visit from the Carlson Family Foundation. They support youth at-risk and mentoring programs. DinoMights fits within their guidelines, and they have been supporting us for the last few years. Periodically, granters like to visit to see first hand what an organization is like, and to get to know them better. On this visit they were hoping to meet a volunteer that grew up in the program. Initially, I was sure that Lenny would be there, but he couldn't make it to Day 4. I let him tell you why in his video.

The Carlson Foundation visitors were very touched by Lenny's words and story. We are very thankful for Lenny. He has been an excellent volunteer over the last year. We are also thankful for what God is doing in Lenny's life. He had some rough times over the years, but now he is in a very good place. He really is in a good place to be a mentor to younger DinoMights youth. In fact, he will be going to Kids Across America Camp this week as an adult leader. It is the first time that a former DinoMights participant has gone to this camp as a leader.

Lenny, we're proud of you! Have an amazing and Blessed trip to KAA!

Hockey in the Hood: Day 3 Nordy

Hockey in the Hood Camp Day 3 was all about Nordy, the Mascot of the Minnesota Wild.

The kids got started with their usual skating drills, and then Nordy made his grand entrance. The response was not exactly what Nordy is used to. Let me put it this way. Most of the kids on this rink barely know what hockey is. They know it is on ice and they know you skate, but that is about it at this point. Moreover, even less of them know what the Minnesota Wild is (we're building a whole new fan base here at hockey in the hood).

So their actual response was more of an inquisitive stare than boisterous screaming. That being said they warmed up to Nordy pretty fast.

They were allowed to do a Question and Answer Session in which they could only ask yes/no questions. Most of the questions revolved around what kind of animal Nordy is. "Are you a fox?" one child asked.
Nordy shrugged as if to say, "I don't know."

"He doesn't know what kind of animal he is," I said.
The kids persisted. "Are you a wolf?"
"I don't know," Nordy shrugged.
"Are you a bear?"
"Shrug."

Later we split up into groups and played fun games. One group had a parachute, another got to shoot pucks into the goal against Nordy as the Goalie. Finally we wrapped up with a fun game of ships across the ocean. Nordy was "It" of course.

I had the idea that Nordy should stand by the door and kids could give him a high five on the way out. Here's what really happened: Kids piled up for hugs instead. They all fell over in a hockey heap. Oh well, the kids liked it.

On the way home I asked some of the kids what was their favorite part. One boy replied, "The parachute . . . and . . . The Bear!" Short pause, "No he was a beaver. Nobody asked him if he was a beaver. He didn't have a tail, and beavers don't have tails, so he must be a beaver."

"Actually beavers do have tails," I said. (I'm a member of the zoo: see http://scottandkari.blogspot.com/)

"No, he is a beaver," another child said, "and a bear, and a wolf. He's all the animals"

We didn't really settle on anything, but the last theory is pretty compelling. No matter what kind of animal our mascot friend may be I think 18 new DinoMights will definitely remember their first hockey experience for a long time.

Hockey in the Hood Camp: Day 2

It was pouring rain for Day 2 of Hockey in the Hood Camp! The day began with Eric, Leah, and me carrying hockey bags up the stairs from our storage area to the DinoMights vans out in the rain. Leah, wore a rain coat. Eric and I were soaked.

Then at the arena we carried all those bags, plus sticks, plus other odds and ends into the arena. We had help, but we didn't want the kids out in the rain for any longer than they had to be. So we carried all those bags in through the rain. Leah had a rain coat. Eric and I were soaked.

In the end camp started on time and everything went smoothly from a logistical perspective. However, it got me wondering. How Much work really goes into making this camp possible. How Many total bags do we carry (Some people go to the gym to stay in shape, I carry hockey bags. You should see my trapezius muscles at the end of the hockey season. It will help me with those 70 push ups that I owe tonight!). What does it all add up to? So here's what I want to know this Wednesday:

1) I want to know math.

50 kids on the ice


18 New DinoMights


36 wobbly legs



About 20 kids I can't believe are not little Mites anymore.

About 2 that are now taller than me

12 kids who have grown so much that they have out grown their equipment


Infinite Smiles!




Looks like it adds up to something good!

Check the page tomorrow to see highlights from Day 3 and our visit from Nordy!

Hockey In the Hood Camp: Day 1

It was a successful first day of Hockey Camp!

One thing that makes DinoMights great is the overall culture of love and respect. Our new kids picked up on that right away. Several of the coaches commented how quickly the new DinoMights caught on. Not just things on the ice, but off as well. They really seemed to catch on in the locker room, they were helpful cleaning up, and they behaved really well.

Night one had all the action that you would expect from brand new hockey players. Keep in might that many of the kids attending last night had learned skating, but not hockey. So we had many of the collisions resulting from new skaters who don't yet know how to stop, which of course led to the classic falls of small children trying to learn something new that warm our hearts every time.

But, I'd have to say the thing that stood out most to me was how well the new kids have embraced how DinoMights act.

This leads me to make 2 observations:

1) Kids do well when they have high expectations

We run a tight ship at "Hockey in the Hood Camp." That is what it takes to have a large number of kids sharing the locker rooms and the ice. Moreover, we believe that our students should get the same summer hockey clinic experience as those with the financial means to enroll in big time camps. So we expect kids to listen, we expect things to stay on time, and we have a plan B for about anything that could go wrong.

Here's how the kids respond: They thrive. Hockey is a safe place to be. There are clear boundaries and clear expectations. They know what to do and how to act. The kids don't have to be on the defensive, they don't have to "watch their backs", because they know that this is a place where they are loved and there won't be negative surprises.
(See Search Institute Assets number 16; Also see Thriving and Sparks)
2) Stereo-typing is not reliable

What I just said about expectations is actually true for all kids. It is true for any kids that are given that kind of opportunity. It really doesn't matter if they are Latino, Black, White, Rich, or Poor. Kids are kids. One cannot assume that just because we are 'Hockey in the Hood' we are also a group of unruly ragamuffins. Actually, many of us are ragamuffins, to borrow the term from Brennan Manning, however given an environment where we are allowed to Thrive we will all give our very best expression of joy to the world.