Brandon Valley Hockey Rink
Donation protected
In Brandon, SD a group of kids and their families are working hard to make their dreams of an indoor hockey rink to become a reality. Can you help?
These kids are hockey players who must spend many hours on an ice rink to practice and perfect their skills. Our hockey rink is outside; while our competitors all have indoor ice facilities. Unfortunately, with an outdoor rink it is difficult to practice consistently because South Dakota winters are so unpredictable. Some days the temperature is too hot and the ice starts to melt. A week later, the wind chill can be so cold it’s not safe to be outside. Then there are days when several inches of snow pile up and removing it delays activities. Even on days when the weather cooperates, our kids are still at a disadvantage because of all the practice cancellations. However, these young athletes are very determined and dedicated to work hard to be competitive against other teams in our area.
Compounding the challenging weather conditions is the rink’s location—it’s in a flood plain. This fall, record breaking flooding cause severe damage to our rink. The area was under several feet of water. It damaged our refrigeration system and washed away two of our locker rooms. We are going to try repair the rink enough so our kids can still have a hockey season but we cannot continue to operate in the current location. We have a identified a new location with the help of the City of Brandon. However, this location requires the installation of new electrical and water infrastructure which is too expensive and time consuming to be in place for this season.
Despite all these challenges, we still offer a fun sport to the youth in Brandon and the surrounding communities. These kids have made new friends and learned the perseverance & commitment it takes to be an athlete. Our association is made up of a great group of families who are extremely passionate and dedicated to this sport. They volunteer countless hours of their time—such as flooding the rink, scooping snow and selling raffle tickets or cheese as fundraisers—to help their kids be successful.
Our kids need an indoor hockey rink! Having an indoor rink would give our young athletes the same opportunities as other athletes in the area. It would allow us to have practices and games on a more consistent basis. The additional ice time would mean our kids would have more opportunities to develop their skills. As a result, their confidence will improve because they will be more competitive with area teams. The rink would also give us the means to continue growing hockey participation and allow for other winter activities—such as figure skating, curling, sled hockey (for disabled participants), open public skate and adult hockey. This indoor rink would help to grow the sport of hockey and other ice sports in South Dakota and the surrounding states. And we are certain an indoor ice rink will benefit the community as a whole. It will bring in families from all over the tristate area for tournaments, games or just a fun, family-friendly activity. It will give our youth an opportunity to play an exciting sport on a regular basis and continue to promote the family atmosphere for which Brandon has been well noted.
Unfortunately, an indoor ice rink comes with a BIG price tag. Our current estimate for a basic indoor hockey rink with a few locker rooms and a standard concession stand is $5 million. We know that's a big number but any donation helps—whether it be $1, $10, $1000 or even more. Your gift will go towards the down payment on the building shell. Thanks to generous support from the City of Brandon, we have secured a location out of the flood plain for an indoor rink. And although we have started a fundraising campaign and do have support from several local businesses, we are a long way from our goal!
South Dakota isn’t exactly known as a hockey hotbed—just yet—but this close-knit family in Brandon has laid a strong foundation. We are determined to spread the hockey spirit in our town and region. This is just the beginning of hockey in Brandon. There are great things in store for us. Come join us on our journey!
Read more about us on our website: www.brandonvalleyhockey.com
These kids are hockey players who must spend many hours on an ice rink to practice and perfect their skills. Our hockey rink is outside; while our competitors all have indoor ice facilities. Unfortunately, with an outdoor rink it is difficult to practice consistently because South Dakota winters are so unpredictable. Some days the temperature is too hot and the ice starts to melt. A week later, the wind chill can be so cold it’s not safe to be outside. Then there are days when several inches of snow pile up and removing it delays activities. Even on days when the weather cooperates, our kids are still at a disadvantage because of all the practice cancellations. However, these young athletes are very determined and dedicated to work hard to be competitive against other teams in our area.
Compounding the challenging weather conditions is the rink’s location—it’s in a flood plain. This fall, record breaking flooding cause severe damage to our rink. The area was under several feet of water. It damaged our refrigeration system and washed away two of our locker rooms. We are going to try repair the rink enough so our kids can still have a hockey season but we cannot continue to operate in the current location. We have a identified a new location with the help of the City of Brandon. However, this location requires the installation of new electrical and water infrastructure which is too expensive and time consuming to be in place for this season.
Despite all these challenges, we still offer a fun sport to the youth in Brandon and the surrounding communities. These kids have made new friends and learned the perseverance & commitment it takes to be an athlete. Our association is made up of a great group of families who are extremely passionate and dedicated to this sport. They volunteer countless hours of their time—such as flooding the rink, scooping snow and selling raffle tickets or cheese as fundraisers—to help their kids be successful.
Our kids need an indoor hockey rink! Having an indoor rink would give our young athletes the same opportunities as other athletes in the area. It would allow us to have practices and games on a more consistent basis. The additional ice time would mean our kids would have more opportunities to develop their skills. As a result, their confidence will improve because they will be more competitive with area teams. The rink would also give us the means to continue growing hockey participation and allow for other winter activities—such as figure skating, curling, sled hockey (for disabled participants), open public skate and adult hockey. This indoor rink would help to grow the sport of hockey and other ice sports in South Dakota and the surrounding states. And we are certain an indoor ice rink will benefit the community as a whole. It will bring in families from all over the tristate area for tournaments, games or just a fun, family-friendly activity. It will give our youth an opportunity to play an exciting sport on a regular basis and continue to promote the family atmosphere for which Brandon has been well noted.
Unfortunately, an indoor ice rink comes with a BIG price tag. Our current estimate for a basic indoor hockey rink with a few locker rooms and a standard concession stand is $5 million. We know that's a big number but any donation helps—whether it be $1, $10, $1000 or even more. Your gift will go towards the down payment on the building shell. Thanks to generous support from the City of Brandon, we have secured a location out of the flood plain for an indoor rink. And although we have started a fundraising campaign and do have support from several local businesses, we are a long way from our goal!
South Dakota isn’t exactly known as a hockey hotbed—just yet—but this close-knit family in Brandon has laid a strong foundation. We are determined to spread the hockey spirit in our town and region. This is just the beginning of hockey in Brandon. There are great things in store for us. Come join us on our journey!
Read more about us on our website: www.brandonvalleyhockey.com
Organizer and beneficiary
Bryan Seaver
Organizer
Brandon, SD
Brandon Valley Hockey Association
Beneficiary
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