***UPDATE: The Pepsi Ice Center has made it into the FINAL FOUR with your help, but it’s not over yet! They need your help once again to make it into the Top 2! Today is the last day to VOTE VOTE VOTE! Vote the same way as before (see below) and spread the word!
Congratulations to the Pepsi Ice Center! They have been selected as one of the Top 10 Finalists for the Kraft Hockeyville USA competition! BUT, they need YOUR help!
Fans, you have til tomorrow, Thursday April 13th at midnight to vote and make sure the Pepsi Ice Center makes it into the Top 4! You can vote up to 50 times a day online here, AND 50 times by texting “PicIL” to 35350, so VOTE VOTE VOTE for the Pepsi Ice Center!
The Grand Prize winner of Kraft Hockeyville USA will win $150,000 in arena upgrades and will have the chance to host a 2017-2018 NHL Pre-Season Game in their hometown! One Runner-up will receive $75,000, two 1st place winners will receive $25,000 and six 2nd place recipients will receive $10,000!
Christine Kirk stopped by the B104 studio this morning to explain why she nominated the Pepsi Ice Center for the honor. Here is what she sent Kraft Hockeyville USA…
Our hockey family at the Pepsi Ice Center is remarkable and deserves to be the Kraft Hockeyville USA 2017 winner. Everyone in our family is a hockey lover. My husband plays hockey 4 mornings a week, and our son (now 6) has been skating since he was 2. He started in the hockey tots program at age 3 and now plays as a Mite, loving every minute he is on the ice. Every year we are amazed at his progress as a skater and player. We also have two daughters, ages 4 and 2. Our 4 year old, Violet, suffers from gross motor delay and a host of other problems like frail bones and short stature. She cannot walk long distances without the aid of a walker. This has been especially heartbreaking for our active and hockey-loving family. Our doctors advised Violet cannot learn to skate the traditional way – standing up on ice skates – because her risk for fractures is too great. No one took this news harder than Violet herself, who longed to share the hockey experience with her dad and brother. Fortunately, we live in a very special hockey community. Our awesome Coach Stacia asked if we had ever considered letting Violet try sled hockey. Up to this point, we did not know much about sled hockey. However, we were eager to give Violet the opportunity to experience skating. My husband immediately set to work learning everything he could about sled hockey. We couldn’t wait to order a sled for Violet. There was only one problem, a sled is extremely expensive. We needn’t have worried, for our generous hockey family contributed, and in no time at all we had enough money for a sled for Violet. Her first time skating in her sled brought tears to my eyes. She has never shined more than when she is out on the ice with her dad and brother. Our story doesn’t stop there, this year Violet was allowed to participate in Bloomington’s mini-mite program and skate with the CIGHA. We are very thankful she has the opportunity to experience being part of a team and to improve her hockey skills. My husband, inspired by the generosity of our hockey family, started the Central Illinois Sled Hockey Association to give other children with disabilities the opportunity to play hockey. Again, our hockey family generously donated to help get the organization up and running. Here in Bloomington, we believe every kid deserves a chance to play hockey. When I watch Violet practice and hear other kids and families cheer her on it makes my heart sing. Hockey is for EVERYONE!
