DefendingTheBlueLine

The 2013 NHL Players Charity Game is scheduled for August 3rd in Minnesota at Ridder Arena on the University of Minnesota Campus. The game and autograph session will benefit military kids through Defending The Blue Line.

Details are as follows:

Game will be held August 3, 2013 at 3PM, at Ridder Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.

The game will be a… U.S. born NHL players vs Canadian born NHL players theme.

Tickets to the game and autograph session will go on sale July 1st at DefendingTheBlueLine.org

Initial rosters announced July 1st

Jerseys unveiled July 1st from 6 – 9PM at Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub

Anyone donating $20 or more to the charity game fundraiser between now and August 2nd will be entered into a drawing.

The prizes for the drawing:

We will be giving away 1 team signed USA jersey, and 1 team signed Canada jersey.

2 names will be randomly drawn on August 3rd for the sweaters.

Tickets for the game go on sale on July 1, 2013.  At that time tickets can be ordered at DefendingTheBlueLine.org

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Defending The Blue Line Partners Help Military Children Play Hockey

Defending The Blue Line has an outstanding number of Teams, Players, and Partners supporting them and helping to provide hockey equipment, hockey camps, association fees, and game tickets to the military children. If you haven’t checked out who these partners are for a while, you may want to do that now. Please give these partners your support and thank them for what they are doing for our military children.

View the Partners and Donors that support DTBL

View the Professional Players, past, present, and future that endorse DTBL

View the NHL Teams that endorse DTBL

View the Coaches that support DTBL

View the Hockey Schools that support DTBL by providing free camp slots for military kids

View the Schools, Colleges, and other Hockey Leagues that support DTBL

View the Celebrity Endorsements and National Leaders that support DTBL

Our mission at Defending The Blue Line (DTBL) is ensuring that children of military members are afforded every opportunity to participate in the game of hockey. We accomplish this by providing free equipment for military kids, hockey camps, special events, and financial assistance for registration fees and other costs associated with hockey.

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Goalie Hockey School has free slots available for DTBL military kids in Richfield, MN

Carroll Goalie School is doing a  Summer Focus on Fundamentals at Richfield Arena in Richfield, MN. This camp is from June 21 – 23, 2013. It is for both boys and girls Ages 7-15

CGS will cover proper stance, glove positioning, goalie-specific skating, lateral movements, save techniques and establishing good work habits. Goalies will feel confident they have built foundation for continued success. Six hours of on-ice instruction.

Friday, June 21st: 6:30-8:30 pm

Saturday, June 22: 10 am to noon

Sunday, June 23: 10 am to noon

Carroll Goalie School has several other camps coming up this summer in Richfield, Eagan, and Blaine, MN. You can see them here along with many other camps that have free slots for military kids this summer.  Some of these camps are located all across the nation.

Our mission at Defending The Blue Line (DTBL) is ensuring that children of military members are afforded every opportunity to participate in the game of hockey. We accomplish this by providing free equipment for military kids, hockey camps, special events, and financial assistance for registration fees and other costs associated with hockey.

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Photos Of The Celebration of Fort Bragg’s Cleland Ice Rink With NC Hurricanes

Today is the Army’s 238th birthday and what better way to celebrate it than the saving of Fort Bragg’s Cleland Ice Rink for the military kids and their families. Defending The Blue Line was there. So were the NHL North Carolina Hurricanes and the Cape Fear Youth Hockey Association. Check out more photos of this celebration as the day goes by.

Eric Staal talks live with SF soldier deployed to Afghanistan as the soldiers wife presents plaque for support.

Today there is a celebration of the saving of Cleland Arena for 300 kids and countless adult service members. Thank you to the leadership at Ft Bragg for reconsidering and putting the families first. This decision will mean a lot to the military families, the Cape Fear Youth Hockey Association, the Carolina Hurricanes, and Defending The Blue Line.

The Hurricanes have generously committed an initial $10,000 and Defending The Blue Line is helping out with $5,000 to help offset the higher costs associated with the rink staying open.

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Celebrate Fort Bragg Ice Rink!

On June 14th (Flag Day and the Army’s birthday), Defending The Blue Line will be at Fort Bragg. This celebration is in honor of the saving of Cleland Arena for 300 kids and countless adult service members.

Thank you to the leadership at Fort Bragg for reconsidering and putting the families first. This decision will mean a lot to the military families, the Cape Fear Youth Hockey Association, the Carolina Hurricanes, and Defending The Blue Line.

The Hurricanes have generously committed an initial $10,000 to help offset the higher costs associated with the rink staying open.

Last month the Carolina Hurricanes, Defending the Blue Line, and the Cape Fear Youth Hockey Association (CFYHA) worked with the leadership at Fort Bragg to keep the Cleland Ice Rink open. The rink was scheduled for a temporary shutdown. To celebrate the rink remaining open, there will be a special hockey clinic on Friday, June 14 conducted by the Hurricanes. You can read more here. 

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Afghanistan Soldier Receives Photo Of Daughter Wearing Gear From Defending The Blue Line. DTBL just received this photo and message from a soldier in Afghanistan. We are very honored to help the military children play hockey while their parents are serving oversees.

These soldiers could use a morale boost. Can you give our DTBL buddies over at A Co 834th ASB a like on their Facebook Page?  They are away training and could use the morale boost.  Their page is hilarious…

A Co 834th ASB

Alpha Company, 834th ASB, is headquartered in Arden Hills, Minnesota and is the Distribution Company for the battalion. Its job is to acquire, transport, store and deliver critical resources such as ammunition, fuel, water and aviation repair parts for the units it supports.

 

While our soldiers are protecting our nation, Defending The blue Line is helping their children fulfill their dreams of playing hockey. Our mission at Defending The Blue Line (DTBL) is ensuring that children of military members are afforded every opportunity to participate in the game of hockey. We accomplish this by providing free equipment for military kids, hockey camps, special events, and financial assistance for registration fees and other costs associated with hockey.

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Minnesota Gopher Hockey Supports Defending The Blue Line.  On Friday, October 26, 2012 the Gophers observed Military Appreciation night as they
squared off against the U18 National. The Gophers recognized several military families from MN during the event. DTBL provided Youth Flag Captains, and an Honorary Puck Drop Family. The Gophers also held a silent auction for DTBL and an equipment drive.  Additionally, DTBL was honored to have former Gopher Alumni and NHLer’s Brian Bonin and Robb Stauber signing autographs at our DTBL booth.

Then on December 30, 2012, the Gophers honored Defending The Blue Line again with an intermission shootout.  Luke Harris (Shooter) and Joey Hudella (Goalie) were the team that DTBL sent to Mariucci Arena. The boys are from the Squirt B & C  Division.  Luke and Joey won the shootout and each was rewarded with a $20 gift card from Dicks Sporting Good.

During February of 2013 the Minnesota Gophers Hockey Team wore commemorative jerseys for the  Office Max Hockey City Classic. The jerseys were then auctioned off on the DTBL website. The uniform was a replica of the Gophers’ jersey from the 1960-1961 season. At unveiling ceremonies on the outdoor rink at Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis, head coach Don Lucia pointed out those years marked the start of a resurgence in Gopher hockey, spearheaded by then-freshman Lou Nanne.  This is an authentic jersey that was worn by the players during that weekend’s series against Wisconsin.The Jersey auction raised more than $25,000 For DTBL and the military kids.

Thank you to the Minnesota Gophers for all of the support they have given Defending The Blue Line for the last year.

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Free hockey camps for military children through Robby Glantz Power Skating are still available for the 2013 season. Robby Glantz is providing 1 slot per camp to military children through Defending The Blue Line. See more information here…

Robby Glantz Hockey School, based out of Sherman Oaks, California, has over 175 Power Skating Programs across North America. In 2011 they
provided slots for DTBL military children in Plymouth, MN. In 2012, slots were provided across the nation and once again in 2013 they have given their utmost support by providing free hockey camps for military children across the nation.

Robby Glantz camp slots are still available for the following states. Once you find a camp you would like to attend, go to Defending The Blue Line to register:

• California
• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Massachusetts
• Maine
• Michigan
• New Jersey
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island

Since 2009, Defending The Blue Line has sent more than 700 kids to some of the best hockey camps in the nation. This year we have additional camps from all over the nation available to military children who’s parents are from any of the military branches. Who’s Eligible?

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The Phoenix Coyotes honor fans at every game and are great supporters of Defending The Blue Line and the military kids.  Take a look at the video of this 100 year old woman who was honored at a Phoenix Coyote game this past season.

This is how the Coyotes support DTBL:  On Thursday, April 4, 2013 DTBL sent 200 military family members to the Phoenix Coyotes vs Detroit Red Wings game at Jobbing.com Arena. DTBL had a booth outside the main entrance before the game and had the support of the National Guard there. They provided a military Humvee for everyone to look at. The kids had a great time climbing on the vehicle with the help of the soldiers. The following night the Coyote staff conducted a Street Skate Clinic at Luke AFB for Luke military kids.  Thank you to the Phoenix Coyotes for this great opportunity for the Arizona military families and for supporting all of their fans.

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