Special Guest: Minnesota Wild

Before the Minnesota Wild ever took the ice as an NHL hockey team they sought out worthy causes in the community to support. At that time DinoMights was in its early grassroots phase as well. Two Wild execs came to meet with John Foley, the founder and original director of DinoMights. After a nice lunch and conversation about how the Wild might be involved with DinoMights, the group was driving through the neighborhood back to John's office. There on the street were three boys playing street hockey with sticks that they had formed from temporary no parking signs. John said, "stop the car, I've got to sign these kids up." 12 years later, both that group of kids and the Minnesota Wild are still involved with DinoMights.

The Wild helps out DinoMights in numerous ways, but one is supporting our fundraiser. They always donate autographed items for the silent auction. This year they are donating a pair of game tickets, with a Zamboni ride at the period break! They also come to the event and share in the program.

Brad Bombardir smiles with DinoMights girls at a donated suite for a Wild game

Brad Bombardir, former player and current Director of Community Relations, is a regular presenter at the event. For the las few years he has presented our annual academic and service awards. In addition he has given those award winners a behind the scenes tour of Xcel Center on a game night.

So we are glad to continue a wonderful relationship with the Wild, and glad that they will once again be involved with our fundraiser.

Special Guest: Alyssa Grogan

As the starting goalie for one of the nation's premier hockey universities and for the USA U22 team, Alyssa Grogan has traveled all over the country playing hockey. There is one place that she has traveled that none of her U of M or National Team teammates have been . . . The Basement of the 4-plex!

U of M Gopher goalie, Alyssa Grogan, 2010 fundraiser guest, at the "4-Plex" donating hockey equipment to DinoMights.

And she is still our friend, despite the overwhelming "hockey smell" of our equipment storage.

A few years ago we had a call in the office from a High School senior who wanted to do something for the DinoMights. Alyssa Grogan, one of the top High School goalies in the state, engineered an equipment drive for DinoMights before going on to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Alyssa really exemplifies the mission of DinoMights to develop Physical, Academic, Social and Spiritual excellence. She has had a lot of success playing hockey as a college student. She was also the goalie for the USA U22 team that represented out country in Lake Placid New York last summer. She was an academic all conference selection for the WCHA. In addition to all her on ice success, Alyssa has maintained her concern for the community and her dedication to her faith. She also came out to Learn 2 Skate this year along with a few other Gopher players and head coach, Brad Frost. She is also an active member of the U of M Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

One of the DinoMights' big events this year is the unveiling of our newest team: a girls team for 3rd through 5th graders. We believe that it is very important to be giving girls the same opportunities as boys in the sport of hockey. So we are very glad to welcome Alyssa Grogan to tell us of the importance of giving the opportunity of hockey to young girls, and also the importance of developing not just physical excellence, but Academic, Social and Spiritual excellence as well.

Special Guest: Stanley Cup

DinoMights Board member John, wife Cherie, and DinoMights participant, Miguel with the Stanley Cup at the 2009 Fundraiser

We have a returning guest to our Fundraiser this year. The Stanley Cup was so popular we just had to invite it back again.

As a kid I competed for the Cup repeatedly in my basement. I fired tennis balls and plastic floor hockey pucks at my less than willing younger brother. Those series rarely ended in glory. Usually, they ended with my sibling choosing to simply walk off the ice. To be fair to my bro, those contests were mostly fixed in my favor. I just enough older to know how to win every time. At any rate, lifting the Cup after nailing your little brother in the face with a tennis ball really isn't that sweet. But, I did want to taste that sweetness somehow. Being up close to the real thing brings me back to the best part of those days. My imagination for greatness is sparked by the Stanley Cup.

I love to watch the clinching of the Cup every year when it is awarded to the NHL Champions. It doesn't matter to me who wins. Even if my favorite, hometown team loses, I love to watch the very end of the Stanley Cup playoffs. There is just no celebration quite like in hockey. The players raise their hands in the air to signal victory; their sticks and gloves fly in the air, and they go to pile on top of the goalie. (For a hilarious Goalie pile FAIL watch this video about 2/3 of the way through.) I'm pretty sure that's what the angels in heaven were doing when Jesus walked out of the tomb.

I've accepted that my name will never be etched into the Stanley Cup. I can live with that, but visiting with the Stanley Cup reminds me that Teams can achieve great things together.

BIG EVENT!

I'm a very linear thinker. One thing at a time suits my brain best. But October is the month that challenges my brain to keep things straight at DinoMights more than any other.

You see, we are on the verge of a big event. Well to be more clear we are on the verge of several big events . . . many big events.

In just a week, we will start tutoring, then the first hockey practices. We are kicking off some new programming for High School aged students this month. And of course, our big fundraiser event is coming up on Monday November 15.

So here's the challenge: Keep it all straight and be sure to tell the stories.

(Do I really want to do this?) Yes. I'm doing it. I'll post every weekday from now to the fundraiser on the 15th. There's so much on which to keep you updated.

Please stay tuned, and get active with the DinoMights this month!

Volunteers Needed

Hello Friends of DinoMights,

If you were inspired by Mike's post (August 30), then consider applying to volunteer or pass the info to a friend.

Everything you need to know is posted at http://www.dinomights.com/getting/involved

We're starting up soon, so don't delay!

From a volunteer's perspective

The following post is from Mike Ervin, a coach for our Mini-Mites team of beginning hockey players. I love how honest Mike is about his experience as a person who has not grown up in an urban setting. I also love how he speaks of the new experience of walking alongside. It is also interesting to note that Mike talks (like many volunteers have over the years) not so much about how the kids have been changed by him, but rather how they have changed him.

“Hockey is a sport for rich white kids, and poor city kids and minorities just don’t play.”

That is that stereotype that I have lived with for my entire life, and I suspect that it is a stereotype that others who come from the suburbs hold. Working with Dinomights this year helped me break that stereotype for good and it is helping to break that stereotype for others as well. Dinomights brings a diverse group of kids together to discover and share a common love of hockey. And it turns out that kids who you wouldn’t associate with hockey have a great deal of talent.

After growing up in Bloomington and going to Jefferson High School (capitol of high school hockey in MN!), I came to the city with a full set of biases about what city kids are like and about who belongs on an ice rink. But getting to know and love the kids that I worked with at Dinomights helped to break down some of the stereotypes that were bred from ignorance in my upbringing.

You frequently hear the phrase, “don’t judge someone until you have walked a mile in their shoes.” This year, I had the chance to skate a mile alongside of the kids of South Minneapolis, who break all of the stereotypes that I carried with me from the suburbs into the city. They were both talented at hockey, and also responsive and respectful to coaches. They will be good ambassadors to the game and positive influences on their communities!

God is moving in the city, and He is using Dinomights to connect himself to the kids of Minneapolis and work to break down the stereotypes and prejudices that people from the suburbs may hold about who plays hockey. I’m grateful for the opportunity to connect with Dinomights this year, and I’m lucky to have gained some exposure (through UrbanHomeworks) to the kinds of organizations that are working for the Lord in Minneapolis to protect, develop, and enrich at-risk communities.

DinoMights is currently seeking new volunteers. If you have been inspired by Mike's story, or you are just generally interested in volunteering for DinoMights visit www.dinomights.com/getting/involved

Stanley Cup

Stand by for a very special announcement to make:

Drumroll . . .

The Stanley Cup will be returning to the DinoMights Annual Fundraiser on Monday, November 15, 2010! Mark your calendar. If you didn't get your photo with the cup last year, you will have another chance.

Board Member, Gracia and PeeWee, Lucy pose with the Cup. © Photo Richard Westley Wong

We are also expecting (barring class schedule conflict) Minnesota Gopher and member of the US Women's U22 National Hockey Team, Alyssa Grogan. Also you can expect a presence from the Minnesota Wild. Our good friend Brad Bombardir is a regular at our event each year.

It's looking like it will be a star studded evening. Save the Date and we hope you can join us.