Charitable Donations: Dave Andreychuk Foundation

HBIC took on a project in the summer of 2008 where I profiled as many charitable organizations as possible. The key to each of these charities is that they are run or have heavy involvement from NHLPA members, and those members use their celebrity to bring recognition and donations to these charities. Today, HBIC is proud to look at another excellent charity that sports the name of a former NHL player and NHLPA member in Dave Andreychuk. The Dave Andreychuk Foundation actually has two branches in that there is a Canadian version of the charity as well as an American version. This will be explained below a little more, so read on about the mission, the work, and the reasons for starting the Dave Andreychuk Foundation.

Mission Statement: Directly from the Dave Andreychuk Foundation, their mission statement states that the Dave Andreychuk Foundation has three goals: "to assist children in need, to support causes for children and families enduring chronic and/or life-threatening illness, and to encourage the investment in youth and amateur sports". The funds raised in each country remain in that country to support the initiatives of the Dave Andreychuk Foundation in that country.

How did the Dave Andreychuk Foundation start?: As you may be aware, Mr. Andreychuk finished off a pretty solid career in Tampa Bay with a Stanley Cup Championship in 2004. While he would play to 2007, Dave Andreychuk became a vital part of the community in Tampa Bay, Florida as much as he was in Hamilton, Ontario.

From the Dave Andreychuk Foundation website, "After retiring from the National Hockey League in 2007, I decided to start the Dave Andreychuk Foundation to give back to the communities that are very important to my family and I.

"Although I refer to the Foundation as one entity, there are actually two. One is based in Canada and one in the United States. Having two Foundations allows me to raise funds for youth hockey in my home town of Hamilton, Ontario and for children and families in need in the Tampa, Florida area."

The Dave Andreychuk Foundation has already contributed to a number of projects and initiatives on both sides of the border over its short history thus far:

• Mr. Andreychuk was the special guest speaker at the 2008 Catholic Youth Organization Celebrity Dinner. You may not know this, but Dave was raised in a devout Catholic household under the watchful eyes of his parents, Julian and Roz Andreychuk.
• The Dave Andreychuk Foundation raised $5000 for the St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital of Tampa, Florida in October 2008.
• The Dave Andreychuk Foundation raised $5260 for the McMaster Children's Hospital of Hamilton, Ontario in December 2008.
• The Dave Andreychuk Foundation has worked with the Moffitt Cancer Center on several occasions to help raise money for cancer research and cancer programs at the hospital. Most recently, Dave Andreychuk presented a cheque for $5000 to the Moffitt Cancer Center on December 21, 2010!
  
• December 5, 2010 saw Dave Andreychuk attend Hamilton Funfest for a fun-filled day at Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena and Skating Center in Hamilton, Ontario. Proceeds raised from the event went to the Hamilton Minor Hockey Association and the Tim Horton’s Children’s Foundation.

How Can I Help?: Just like the charitable organizations we've seen in the past, donations are certainly welcome and appreciated. However, you need to specify which country you're from so that the funds can be used in that country. If you're Canadian, click here to donate. If you're American, click here to donate. Again, any money donated will be used in the country of the donation you've chosen, so make sure you pick the country you wish to help!

Email is always a good way to get more information, and the Dave Andreychuk Foundation has two email addresses set up so that you can obtain information about the respective branches of the Dave Andreychuk Foundation. If you're in Canada and want some info, please send an email to InfoCanada-at-DaveAndreychukFoundation-dot-com. If you're in the US and want some info, please send an email to InfoUSA-at-DaveAndreychukFoundation-dot-com. If they have email addresses, they also have a place of operations, so you can always send the Dave Andreychuk Foundation some snail mail if that's more your pace. In Canada, send your mail to:

The Dave Andreychuk Foundation
2-558 Upper Gage Avenue
Suite #341
Hamilton, Ontario L8V4J6

If you're in the US, send your mail to:

The Dave Andreychuk Foundation
Dave Andreychuk Foundation Inc.
19046 Bruce B Downs Blvd. #71
Tampa FL 33647-2434

If they have an office, they also have some telephones. That means you can call the Dave Andreychuk Foundation for information if you so desire. You can reach the Canadian branch of the Dave Andreychuk Foundation by dialing (905)385-6783. The American branch of Dave Andreychuk Foundation can be reached by calling (813)301-2504.

They also have some merchandise you can pick up if you want something material in showing your support. The merchandise page has hats and shirts for both men and women, and they look pretty good. Do yourself and your community proud by picking up some Dave Andreychuk Foundation merchandise.

Lastly, there is an option for kids to contact Mr. Andreychuk as well! The Kids Contact page allows children to ask Mr. Andreychuk anything they like. All they have to do is fill out the fields, and they'll be able to send Mr. Andreychuk an email with their questions! How cool is that? You don't see many charitable organizations encouraging young fans to get involved on their sites, so I thought this was a great feature!

The Dave Andreychuk Foundation, the NHLPA, and the foundation's namesake, Mr. Dave Andreychuk, are helping the communities they live in. It's time for us to help them as well.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!