Condors in the Community: Condors community efforts bring in $330,000 in 2010-11

April 28, 2011

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Bakersfield Condors, official ECHL affiliate of the Minnesota Wild, had another record-setting season in the community in 2010-11. While the Condors were successful on the ice winning their second straight Pacific Division title, off the ice, the organization made just as much of an impact, raising $332,601 in cash, goods and services for local charities and non-profits. In the team’s 13-year history, a staggering total of more than $3.9 million in cash and goods have been donated to Kern County organizations.

“Our organization is centered around its connection with the community,” said President Matthew Riley. “We’re thrilled to continue to be in a position to be able to benefit charities, schools and non-profit organizations in Kern County.  It’s because of the giving people of Condorstown that we’re able to make sure an impact on those less-fortunate.  A huge thank you to our awesome fans.”

COLLECTION DRIVES:

Even before the puck dropped, the Condors held their ninth annual Open House and Family Fun Day Canned Food Drive for the Kern County Food Bank. A total of 640 pounds of food was collected, bringing the nine year sum to nearly 19,500 pounds of food.

On Nov. 10, with winter setting in on Kern County, 685 coats were collected for the Condors 13th annual Warm Families Coat Collection, sponsored by 98.5 The Fox, Coldstone Creamery, and Goodwill Industries. This brought the total to over 22,000 coats collected in Condors History.

On Nov. 24, the seventh annual Toy Drive, sponsored by My 45, 98.5 The Fox and R&D Leather Furniture, to benefit Stay Focused Ministries, brought in 383 toys for local children in need. Over the past seven seasons, 1,243 toys have been collected through the annual Toy Drive.

The Condors hosted their annual Field Trip Day, sponsored by HOT 94.1 on Nov. 17 and hosted thousands of local students. Following the game, 200 boxed lunches were remaining and were promptly donated to a local Bakersfield Homeless Shelter.

One of the biggest events every year in Bakersfield took place on Nov. 27 at Rabobank Arena. The 12th annual Teddy Bear Toss, presented by 29 Eyewitness News, KERN 1180 and Wells Fargo Bank, included the season’s biggest crowd of 8,327 fans throwing a total of 6,296 stuffed animals onto the ice following F Slava Trukhno’s goal in the third period. United Way distributed the stuffed animals to more than 40 Kern County non-profit organizations. Throughout the 12 years, 66,840 stuffed animals have been delivered to children in Kern County.

My 45, 96.5 Max FM and Payment Systems Worldwide teamed up with the Condors to host the annual Canned Food Collection on Mar. 8. Condors fans donated 1,500 pounds of food for the Golden Empire Gleaners Food Bank. The annual Canned Food Collection has raised more than 21,008 pounds of food for the homeless in Bakersfield.

The Condors worked with Houchin Blood Bank to promote a month-long blood drive. Throughout the month of March, 1,400 people donated blood at Houchin and received discounted tickets to a game, sponsored by My 45 and KUZZ 107.9.

On Mar. 16, the Condors hosted the Book and School Supply Drive sponsored by Wells Fargo, which allowed fans to bring books or other needed items to the game to help Olive Knolls Christian School recover from a fire that ravaged much of their elementary and preschool wings. Over 1,000 items were donated.

JERSEY AUCTIONS AND RAFFLES:

On Nov. 13, the Condors hosted the first of three specialty jersey raffle and auctions of the season, with Kern Veterans Memorial themed jerseys, sponsored by KUZZ 107.9 and Bud Light. The Jerseys raised a total of $20,000 benefiting M.A.R.E. In December, the All-Star themed jerseys, presented by ABC23, 96.5 Max FM and American Business Machines, raised the most out of the three auctions held during the season, for a total of $20,050 benefiting the Petroleum Shrine Club. On Mar. 12, the Condors wore special St. Patrick’s Day jerseys, sponsored by McDonald’s, benefiting the Ronald McDonald House and bringing in $18,000.

At each game, the jerseys were auctioned off at center ice, with all of the proceeds going to local charities. Money was also raised for charities through silent jersey auctions and raffles throughout the season, including the pregame warm-up Jerseys and the Organization of the Night jersey raffle.

In total, nearly $66,000 was raised for more than 20 charities through jersey raffles and auctions. Jersey auctions over the past 13 seasons have raised an astonishing total of over $767,000 for charities in Kern County.

SPECIAL EVENTS

In early November, the players traded in their hockey sticks for the day and replaced them with golf clubs for the 13th annual Condors Charity Golf Classic, benefiting the Kern Bridges Youth Homes. With four participants paired up with a player, everyone hit the links at Stockdale Country Club. In its 13-year history, the tournament has brought in $57,680.

A busy season in the community was highlighted by one of the more entertaining nights of the season, with Tip-A-Condor on Mar. 21, at fishlips in downtown Bakersfield. The event brought in $12,591 for the Kern County Shrine Club, exceeding last season’s total by several thousand dollars by turning Condors players into waiters for the night, collecting tips from the fans. The tips, as well as live and silent auction items, combined to bring in the total. In its 11 year history, Tip-A-Condor has raised over $132,000.

In its seventh year, the Condors Fighting Cancer Hockey-Thon, sponsored by 29 Eyewitness News and KUZZ 107.9, provided local hockey enthusiasts a chance to take the ice for charity. Participants raised cash to play in the around-the-clock hockey marathon, which included two Condors games and a live and silent auction. The event is highlighted by an alumni game featuring several former Condors having the chance to take the ice once again. All together, the event raised $39,000 this season, which was donated to Links for Life, a local breast cancer resource center. Over $273,000 has been raised in the Hockey-thon history.

FUNDRAISERS AND APPEARANCES:

Throughout the entire year, non-profit organizations host hundreds of worthy charitable events, and the Condors do their best to help as many as possible. During the 2010-11 season, the Condors donated more than $11,756 in tickets and Condors gear to these local charity events. In addition, through the T.H.I.N.K. (Turn Hockey Into New Knowledge) Nights, Classroom Champions, Big Buddies, Raymond Rascals and Summer Reading programs, nearly 14,600 tickets were donated to area students and kids. Through the T.H.I.N.K. program, one lucky student was honored and recognized at a game for exceptional academic performance and was also given a brand new computer. All these programs are with support from these sponsors: Mercy & Memorial Hospitals, Wells Fargo Bank, Diamond Technologies, ABC23, SC Architect and Kern County Firefighters, as well as the long list of individuals and businesses that make donation for Big Buddies.

With many organizations hit hard by the economy, the Condors played their part in helping those in need of raising funds for their cause. Through Condors Fundraisers, a program that allows organizations to raise cash through Condors ticket sales, $46,084 was raised and 76 organizations participated. The top fundraising effort came from Children Joining Children for Success, which raised $11,323 for local schools.

While the Condors are proud of the bigger events that garner more attention, they’re equally excited about the dozens of smaller events that go on from a week-to-week basis. Player appearances throughout the season included visits to Memorial Hospital, the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter, Boys and Girls After School Program, Bakersfield Dragons youth hockey practices, CALM (California Living Museum), and more. Players, staff and mascots attended nearly 150 events throughout the past year, including DBA events, walks to cure cancer, the Ronald McDonald House, Kern County Fair, Senior Rosewood Living Olympics, and they visited over 50 local schools.

Even though the hockey season has concluded, the Condors will still be out in force in the community all spring and summer long. If you’re interested in getting any of our mascots, Colonel Claw’d, Baby Cal or Slapshot, the inflatable Slapshot Booth or the Condors prize wheel out to your camp, youth program, school or other event, call the Condors office at 324-PUCK (7825).

Chronological listing of Major Condors Programs and Events from 2010-11:

* Oct. 2: Open House & Family Fun Day Canned Food Collection – 640 lbs of canned food collected

* Nov. 10: Project Warm Families Coat Collection sponsored by 98.5 The Fox, Coldstone Creamery, and Goodwill Industries- 685 coats collected

* Nov. 13: KUZZ 107.9 and Bud Light present Veterans Memorial Jersey Off Our Backs Auction and Raffle – $20,000 raised for M.A.R.E.

* Nov. 17: HOT 94.1 Businesspersons Special / Field Trip Day – nearly 4,000 students received educational booklets at the game

* Nov. 20: Guns N’ Hoses charity game between the Bakersfield Police and Fire Departments – raised $2,453 for the Kern County Law Enforcement Foundation

* Nov. 24: My 45, 98.5 The Fox and R&D Leather Furniture Toy Drive – 1,243 toys collected

* Nov. 27:  29 Eyewitness News, KERN 1180 and Wells Fargo Bank Teddy Bear Toss- 6,296 Teddy Bears collected

* Dec. 11: ABC23, American Business Machines and 96.5 Max FM present All-Star Classic Jersey Off Our Backs Raffle and Auction – $20,050 raised for Petroleum Shrine Club

* Dec. 11: Through the Children Joining Children for Success Condors fundraiser, more than 1,000 kids from Court Appointed Social Advocates (CASA) attended a Condors game and skated on the Rabobank arena ice with players prior to the game

* Jan. 25: The Condors and All-Stars accompanied the Stanley Cup to Memorial Hospital, and ended up at the All-Star Classic Fan Fest

* Jan. 26: The Condors take on the ECHL All-Stars for the Mercy & Memorial ECHL All-Star Classic

* Mar. 8: My 45, 96.5 Max FM and Payment Systems Worldwide Canned Food Collection – over 1,500 lbs of canned food collected

* Mar.12: McDonald’s presented St. Patrick’s Day Jersey Off Our Backs Auction and Raffle – raised $18,000 for the Ronald McDonald House

* Mar. 19: 29 Eyewitness News and KUZZ 107.9 presented Condors Fighting Cancer Hockey-Thon – $39,000 raised for Links for Life

* Mar. 21: Tip-A-Condor Charity Dinner – $12,591 raised for the Kern County Shrine Club

* Mar. 23: My 45 and KUZZ 107.9 Blood Drive Night – 1,400 blood donations at Houchin Blood Bank during the month

* Raymond’s Rascals: A total of 780 tickets for underprivileged youth, sponsored by KGET-TV 17 and the United Way of Kern County

* T.H.I.N.K. program sponsored by Mercy & Memorial Hospitals, Wells Fargo Bank and Diamond Technologies – 3,476 tickets to students who met academic goals.

* ABC23, SC Architect & Kern County Firefighters present Classroom Champions – 1,600 tickets given to students meeting behavioral or attendance goals

* Local-area businesses donated 2,819 tickets to provide admission for underprivileged children to attend a Condors game through the Big Buddies program

* All season: A total of $24,234 in Jersey raffle proceeds to the charitable organization of the night and $8,025 to the Active 20/30 club through the pre-game jersey silent auction

Upgrade your seats for Half Off!

There is still time to upgrade your seats for the 2011-12 season. The Condors are offering a 50% upgrade deal for any full season ticket holders who are looking to change their location. Call the Condors at 324-PUCK (7825) for more information.

Get ready for 2011-12:

Ticket plans are on sale now for the 2011-12 season for as low as $48! The earlier you commit, the better seat location you can secure, and the longer you can spread out your payments.

Call the Condors at 324-PUCK (7825) or go to www.bakersfieldcondors.com/web/tickets for more info. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. For more information visit www.bakersfieldcondors.com.