CMU Hockey Team to receive prestigious national community service award

The Colorado Mesa University Hockey Team puts in work on and off the rink. Their hard work on the rink has won the team countless wins, but their actions off the rink have gained them a prestigious national award. 

On November 8, 2018, the team will receive the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s prestigious National Community Service Award.

Each year the honor is bestowed to one team exhibiting outstanding charitable volunteerism and charitable fundraising efforts from across the nationwide league. 

The award will be presented to the team by CMU President Tim Foster on behalf of the American Collegiate Hockey Association during the hockey team's third annual Pink the Rink charity game. The game is scheduled at 7pm against Northern Arizona University.

“This award is a reflection not only on the young men of the hockey team, but on all CMU student-athletes who strive to support the community, who day-in-day-out supports them,” said Foster. “Athletics is one of the ways the university engages the community and CMU hockey is leading the way in this regard.”

The team’s community outreach from the 2017-2018 season, which gained them the national recognition includes:

• First annual Sledge Hockey event for disabled veterans in conjunction with the Grand Junction VA Hospital. CMU hockey organized and participated in a sledge hockey game for disabled veterans. Sixteen veterans participated as well as CMU hockey players and public supporters.
• Second annual Pink the Rink charity game. The event raised $13,500 for the St. Mary’s Hospital Cancer Survivorship Program beating the first year's total of $10,000. CMU won 5-4 in an overtime thriller against Colorado School of Mines.
• Fourth annual Children’s Winter Coat Drive - more than 350 new and gently-used coats were donated to local schools, shelters, youth homes and charity groups. During the four years this drive has taken place, roughly 1,400 coats have been donated to local organizations and individuals in need.
• Second annual Grand Junction Coyotes Youth Hockey Outreach. The CMU hockey team included the Grand Junction Coyotes Mighty Mites youth hockey team in the pre-games ceremonies, and facilitated a fundraising raffle during the CMU game for the youth hockey program.
• Fourth annual Hilltop Youth home free game entrance and VIP treatment. Hilltop Youth received free entrance, reserved seating and after-game autographs.

The CMU hockey players hope to see many members of the public at the awards ceremony and Pink the Rink charity game. Again this year, the game will raise money for the St. Mary’s Cancer Survivorship Program. People interested in attending and contributing are encouraged to visit SupportingCMU.com/pink-the-rink.

“We are so proud of the CMU hockey program, the players, staff and community who allow us to serve. So many people contribute to the success of our charity events and we are humbled by this national recognition,” said Head Hockey Coach Tim Winegard, PhD, who is also a CMU instructor of history and political science.

The event will also include a presentation of a United States Congressional Award to the team. They received this congressional honor for their community service achievements, and it was read into the Congressional Record by Congressman Scott Tipton.

Members of Congressman Scott Tipton's staff will be on hand the night of the event to present a signed and framed copy of the minutes read into the Congressional Record.