T-Birds to be honored by Ronald McDonald House Charities at Annual Gala

The Hockey Challenge raised $190,000 last year for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington and Alaska. (Ronald McDonald House photo)

On Oct. 17, the Seattle Thunderbirds will be honored by the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Western Washington and Alaska (RMHC) at their 27th Annual Gala auction. The T-Birds and RMHC have partnered for the past 17 years through the annual Hockey Challenge, which has raised $4.6 million for families of children with serious illnesses.

“The Thunderbirds donate the arena, their time, their staff, and so much more for this event,” says Vanessa Kirk-Briley, Co-Director of Development at the Ronald McDonald House. “They are amazing people who have big hearts and really care about the local community. The players come to visit with kids at the House frequently, which is always a highlight for our families.”

During the Hockey Challenge, teams are formed by sponsors that raise money to participate and play in games on the ShoWare Center ice. Supporters have the opportunity to purchase a ticket to the Hockey Challenge which entitles them to attend games between the sponsored teams during the day, a Thunderbirds game in the evening, and a celebrity game to end the night, during which former T-Birds and local and national celebrities partake in a friendly contest.

“(Money raised from the Hockey Challenge) directly translates to increased funds for housing and support for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital,” says Kirk-Briley. “Because we have a lean and mean organization, 78% of every donation goes directly towards helping families. The Thunderbirds’ support means that hundreds of families received above and beyond basic housing.”

The funding and assistance from the Thunderbirds means families have additional access to warm meals provided by volunteers, access to groceries in the free House pantry, visits with therapy dogs, and most importantly, the ability to spend time with their child as they heal.

“We are honored and humbled RMHC has chosen to recognize the team at their annual Gala this year,” says Thunderbirds Director of Public and Media Relations Ian Henry. “We greatly value our relationship with RMHC and look forward every year to the Hockey Challenge. From firsthand experience we know what a difference the Challenge makes for those children and families dealing with a major, life threatening illness.”

This season, the Hockey Challenge will take place on Feb. 27 when the T-Birds face off against the Everett Silvertips. Last year, the event raised $190,000 according to the Thunderbirds website.

The event began as a friendly competition between two teams from Microsoft — one located in the United States and one in Canada — who decided the only way to settle their differences was on the ice. The American team decided to reach out to the Thunderbirds for coaching and the T-Birds agreed, so long as the Microsoft teams agreed to raise money for RMHC. With that, the Hockey Challenge was born.

“We were able to accommodate 471 families last year, and there is no doubt that the Thunderbirds have been a major part in supporting those families,” continues Kirk-Briley. “We are so thankful for the team’s support and want to honor them with the 2015 Fred Schultz award for their outstanding commitment to our organization, the local community, and children facing some of life’s most difficult obstacles.”