Dryden Ice Dogs Establish Community Outreach Program

Posted by John Borst

on Sep 06, 2015

Dryden Rotary’s September 2^nd meeting had the entire 2015-2016 Ice Dogs team plus their Director of Hockey Operations, President, Coach and Public Relations volunteer present. Each spoke briefly to the club.

2015-16 Ice Dogs

Super fan Rtn. Joanne Bunny poses with the 2015-16 Ice Dogs. Captain Derek McPhail is to her right.

Director Operations Brian Bates	President Mike Sveinson
Captain Derek McPhail	Masala's - a full house

Director of Hockey Operations Brian Bates spoke first and outlined his role with the team and provided a short history of the Ice Dogs.

President Mike Sveinson , a former Rotarian, shared why he had invested in this team and why the team is giving back and getting connected to the community.

Sveinson explained that only a third of their revenue is from gate receipts; the rest he explained has to come from fund raising and sponsorship.

Team captain Derek McPhail spoke to the goals of the players for this coming season. Although team GM and Head Coach Kurt Walsten was present he did not speak although there was good hearted banter from the local media present to try and get a comment from him about the upcoming season.

All of the players are billeted with local families as they come from across Canada plus two from the USA. Only two players are native to Dryden.

Rtn Natasha Lovenuk Markham is a “Mom” to two Ice Dogs, as well as the Director of Communications and Media Relations for the club.

For more info on the Ice Dogs, visit www.drydenicedogs.net/page/show/979516-dryden-gm-ice-dogs