Wounded Warriors

On Saturday, May 17, Armed Forces Day, the USA Hockey's Warrior Sled Hockey team competed against the USA Women’s sled Hockey team.

 

The USA Hockey's Warrior Ice Hockey Program doesn't have an affiliation with the Wounded Warriors Project, but nonetheless is a program staffed by officers and coaches who are all unpaid volunteers who enjoy the satisfaction of giving back to the heroes who suffered severe sacrifices in the line of duty in service to our country.
 

On Friday night my grandson Mike was invited to play with the Wounded Warrior Sled Hockey for the Saturday and Sunday games at the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees. What an awesome opportunity this was for him to experience, not only to play with adult sled players, but to play side by side with the Wounded Warriors.

Heroes' Welcome

As he arrived at the ice rink, in the lobby was a receiving line throughout the lobby from the door to the ice, called the Hero’s Welcome, manned by Warriors' Watch Riders.

The Grammy in me wants to effusively wax on about how much Mike amazes us every time he breeches another plateau in his journey, and he has again this year - the kid, that sixteen years ago, doctors and therapists said he might not ever walk, talk or see after his head injury. While Mike's journey, is truly a testament to faith, persistence and a united warrior-like group effort to not accept what ‘might’ be, this piece should be about the Warriors who sacrificed in service to their country.

They signed up for their service, but they sure didn’t sign up for the life altering damage to their bodies and minds so many have suffered with little or no supportive and wraparound services they and their families found were lacking upon return home.

Last month, I wrote about the USA Disabled Hockey festival held in Marlborough, MA, and briefly mentioned the Wounded Warriors Standing amputee team, where they had a one armed goalie. The Wounded Warrior Sled Hockey team also played at the festival, and some team members also participated in the Sochi Paralympics on the USA team.   By the way, the USA men’s team took the Gold Medal, over Russia (silver) and Canada (bronze), just sayin’, worthy opponents, but the USA prevailed and were the first sled hockey team to win back-to-back Gold Medals.

2014 USA Paralympic Sled Hockey Gold Medal team

As exciting as it is for Mike to be honored being invited to play this weekend, and he did understand the magnitude of such an invitation, the basis of this site is stories about “The life we claim we didn’t sign up.” While nobody signs up for a disability or different ability, it happens. What happens after that is what we must focus on and craft the process of moving on with life, even if it is the one we didn't sign up for.

Please visit these sites. Thank our people in the military for their service and sacrifice. http://usawarriorshockey.org/

http://www.usahockey.com/page/show/887219-disabled-hockey

Roundup of the weekend's games:

• Game 1 - 5-3, Women's team
• Game 2 - 4-3, Women's team
• Game 3 - 3-1, Warriors.

Wounded Warriors & USA Hockey Women's Sled Hockey teams.

 

 

 

 

Marriage

I was once asked,  ‘What’s your greatest accomplishment? What are you most proud of?”

My immediate response was, “my marriage”.  The person asking the question responded, “Wow, your face really lights up when you say that.”

I never really looked at my marriage as an “accomplishment”, but in the grand scheme of things, compared to what some other people experience in marriage, we have been very lucky and blessed that ours seems to have been relatively effortless. It’s not that there have never been bumps in the road and rough patches where you look at one another and think quietly but smarmily to yourself, ”GAWD, I can’t stand that you are breathing the same air as me.” That is the reality of what happens when you live with someone. A person can not share a bed and a bathroom with the same person seven days a week for years and expect to always think they are the best thing to come along since unlimited texting.  We’re only human. And let’s be honest, only one of us is scrubbing the toilet and shower!

There is some personal sacrifice in every relationship and a great marriage is no exception. The ‘rough’ patches were brief and ended up being the glue that we didn’t know we needed at the time. Stuff happens, time might heal, but moving forward as a team and a united front is one of hallmarks of our marriage. It hasn’t been hard.

We were children when we got married. At 18 what could we possibly have known what life had ahead for us? What did we know about real life? When it’s said, “ignorance is bliss” I think it was our ignorance that became our bliss. 

On another occasion, a friend whose marriage was coming apart and soon ended asked, “Don’t you wonder just how long it’s going to last?” Well, no, it never really crossed my mind that being married was on some kind of time clock.

Without knowing it early on, we nurtured our marriage like a family member. We ‘took care’ of each other and each other’s feelings. We were blessed with good health for the first thirty years and when illness paid us a couple visits, we took turns in stepping up and taking over the other’s role of caretaker, without pause.

Marriage is never a 50/50 proposition. If you’re lucky it can be 60/40. Sometimes, you get the 60. Sometimes, you give the 60. Then there are the times when it is 90/10, hopefully those times are few and far between, but it happens. Nobody is exempt.

With our 41^st anniversary right under our noses, we both expressed that saying we’re married for forty-one years sounds a lot longer than it feels.

Awesome, and feels like 50/50!

Beautiful Days at Ramblewood: Good Food, Good Beverages for a Good Cause

 

 

Let’s not mince words, Mother Nature is a Sled Hockey fan. She must be since she has provided spectacular weather for the Wings of Steel Golf Tournament at Ramblewood Country Club, every year for the last seven years. 

This event was born of need. See below for the history of Wings of Steel Golf Tournament at Ramblewood.

For now, please enjoy this recap of another successful golf outing and the converging of kindness with the relish of a good day of golf.

 

 As in the past seven years, the numbers of participants have never been a problem. This year presented a problem in that the registration filled up early and we had the distinct issue of actually being overbooked and had to turn away players.

The day starts off with a morning 50/50 drawing while the players register and enjoy a hoagie lunch. This year’s morning 50/50 generated a kitty of $940, of which the winner “Sean” generously donated back his winnings. Thank you, Sean.

 

After the players are called to their carts, the course ranger announces the scramble instructions and gets the game started.

While on the golf course, players are attended to by our beverage cart hostesses. This year we found the beverages were extra cold and the thoughtfulness of a lid for the cups was especially appreciated by those driving golf carts.

 

Found on the course are special auction items and hole prizes. This year there were 2 signed NHL hockey sticks, strategically placed on the course.

 

Prizes for ‘closest to the pin’ and best score under par are awarded. This year there was a tie between 2 teams at 12 under Par! The tie-breaker was determined by how each team did on the #1 handicap hole. The winners birdied that hole.

 

 

 

The afternoon/dinner time 50/50 generated a kitty of $970 of which the winner Sue Rudley also donated back her winnings! Thank you, Sue!

Chinese Auction Baskets

Chinese Auction: Every team parent commits to providing at least one basket valued at least $50. This year there was a couple Lottery baskets, Dinner and a Show/Night Out, Family games, and Weekend excursions to different locations.



 

 

Silent Auction Table

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silent Auction: A variety of authentic sports memorabilia awarded to the highest bidder signed on the bid sheet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Live Auction items

Live auction: This year we had the distinct opportunity to offer a pair of autographed point shoes from a lead ballerina of the New York Ballet Company. While it might seem contrary to display such an item among an array of autographed hockey jerseys, think about the energy and strength needed to perform dance, especially ballet. It was a fitting item and a suitable auction price.

The Crosby did sell, but it went ‘silently’ to someone who wished to remain anonymous.

Brian Startare

Since the very first event the MC has been Brian Startare who was otherwise committed this year to broadcasting responsibilities because of the Flyers/Rangers game schedule.

Matt Lombardo

 

At the eleventh hour, Brian enlisted Matt Lombardo who manned up and helped us help our guests part with some of their hard earned cash in the spirit of giving for an excellent cause. Thank you, Matt, for stepping up at the last minute. We hope you will continue to be part of the Wings of Steel family.

 

All in all, it was a very good day for a fundraiser. There is never a ‘low’ point to this event. However, the Wings held a moment of silence for a beloved team member, Jessica Shaw, who died within days of last year’s event. Jess suddenly became critically ill and passed away that very weekend. Her bubbly personality continues to be missed, and it was in her memory that the dinner hour was kicked off.

 

 

About the Wings of Steel Golf Tournament:

 For many years ice time at the Skate Zone in Voorhees was generously donated to the Wings of Steel for practice and game time. Players are provided equipment at no cost to them or their family and equipment was and continues to be maintained by the volunteer labor of Dennis Senk. As the Wings of Steel developed and continued to be a competitive entity within the area division of sled hockey competition, so goes the economy. Ice time and game time could no longer be a viable contribution by the Skate Zone ownership and administration. The Wings of Steel organization was informed they would have to pay an annual fee for ice time comparable to able bodied teams.

 

To supplement the team’s meager coffers, team moms and dads often pushed 50/50’s at games and would stage bake sales and coin tosses. Any profit from these campaigns could barely scratch the surface for the cost of maintenance and uniform outfitting, let alone the prohibitive cost of ice time. Hockey is not an inexpensive activity. Couple that fact with the extra factor of this sport’s equipment geared towards the special needs population, and it soon becomes clear that bake sales and coin tosses are not going to generate viable revenue. The idea to hold a fundraiser was the last chance to hopefully generate enough cash to keep the Wings of Steel operating and to afford the cost of ice time.

Ramblewood Country Club has been a steadfast supporter since the inception of this event. They have helped the club by allowing the tournament to always kick off the last Friday in April, making it a day our participants plan for in advance. Especially of note is that the Ramblewood staff is always gracious and helpful in any way to make this day a success for the kids who play in the Wings of Steel Sled hockey team.

Day 3: Wings Fall in Disabled Festival Finale – Cherry Picking Taints the Pure

The Virtua Wings of Steel closed out the weekend long 2014 USA Disabled Hockey Festival, losing to the Polar Express in the finale on Sunday after solidly defeating them in the bracket opener on Friday.

Despite the loss the Wings had a great time, welcomed a new member to the Wings family in goalie Iron Mike Reiner along with his parents Paula and Bill and the team took over the Marriott Courtyard in Marlborough, setting a new team record by eating 13 pizzas for lunch in one sitting.

Although the team was disappointed they did not win the tournament, the cards were stacked somewhat against them. Earlier in the week they were moved up in youth brackets from Class C to Class B, as one team dropped out and we were asked to move up.

Clearly, from the start of the Tournament, the Wings might have been smaller in stature, but they are unmatched in game-face and heart, led by the ‘Beast’, Robert Vettese. 

Despite his bantam size the Beast will take on any player and won’t back down. As evidenced from our tough 3-2 loss on Saturday night the Beast got into a little shoving match with an opposing player twice his size and refused to back down even as he was leaving the ice, ending in nothing more than a little trash talk. Heart is something you cannot teach, it’s a trait you’re born with and the Beast has it.

To the Wings' credit they should have played in the C class but they showed up to compete and steadfastly played their hardest each game.

Another issue to consider is that the Wings were the only “pure” team in this bracket, meaning the others were combined teams stacked with All-Star players from various regions and divisions. 

Fair? I think not. So, to me the Wings were the class of the tournament, a fierce company of competitors of different abilities, skating shoulder to shoulder in their sleds.

It would be remiss to not end with kudos to our new goalie. Iron Mike was in a developmental program and had never played goal in a game. Mike actually just started practicing 3 weeks ago. How awesome is that?!?! To get his first win, in his very first start, against an All-Star team, in a national tournament, that’s the kind of stuff dreams are made of.

 Notes: Hesham ‘E’ Nassar led the Wings with four goals in the Tournament, his best performance of the season. Wings can use that kind of offense next season.

GO WINGS!