Hi, my name is Amy and I am proud to be an hockey mom and coach here in Raleigh, North Carolina. The stark reality is that ice hockey is expensive, almost prohibitively so for many youth in our area. But, it is also a sport that brings so much joy to so many, and for our youth today, this outlet is a necessity for their physical and mental well-being.

For players from families that are undergoing hardship (loss of a job, loss of family member, financial stress, relocation due to conflict in home country, etc), hockey is often the first thing that must be cut from the budget. My hope is to find a way to offer financial assistance to keep those youth hockey players on the ice and playing! I want to create more joy through the sport of ice hockey!

This fund was originally inspired by a young athlete on my team that came here to NC from the Ukraine. This athlete has undergone a complete life upheaval, but when she comes to hockey, she works tremendously hard and has a smile on her face. Her mother says that hockey is where she finds joy. However, because her mother's earning potential is much less than what it was at home and due to the cost of starting a new life in a new country, paying for hockey is extraordinarily difficult. This player has an opportunity to join a team that plays in a limited number of tournaments this year, but the financial burden is too much for her family to afford given their situation. But, I feel that no player should lose their earned roster spot (and it was extremely competitive try out!) due to a lack of funds. I hope that you agree and will help us to find a way to keep her playing hockey!

My priorities for use of these funds raised are as follows:

1. Pay rostering fees for this specific Ukrainian athlete so that she may join the team for tournament play.

2. Assist with travel expenses for this Ukrainian athlete and her mother for tournaments.

3. Assist in payment of overdue regular league fees for this Ukrainian athlete.

4. Make some funds available for additional displaced/in-need youth hockey player(s) in NC for hockey opportunities.