The Hoffen Foundation : News

Notable Events

September 2010

H offen introduces the Little Black Dress Party and it instantly becomes a hit with our Dallas area supports. It becomes the biggest fundraiser in Hoffen history.

June 2010

The Hoffen Foundation supports Love for Kids by sponsoring a trip to the circus for underprivileged kids.

January 2010

The Hoffen Foundation says good bye to long time friend and Hoffen Director Steve Samberg. Steve lost his battle with cancer after a valiant fight. Steve was the cornerstone for the organization who became a Director not long after the Foundation started. His dedication and input was monumental to the growth of the organization. He was also a strong supporter of the Love for Kids organization too. Through his urging, he helped form the alliance between Love for Kids and the Hoffen Foundation. That alliance has helped kids enjoy outings to a ranch (All Kids Count) , as well as the Shrine Circus.

December 2009

H offen has its best year ever donating over $40,000.00 to charitable causes as well as our own programs.

November 2008

H offen introduces the Dillon Wolford scholarship for college bound students who have had extended hospital stays due to illness or accident.

September 2007

T he Hoffen Foundation starts a new fundraiser with a dinner cruise on Lake Lewisville (Texas) with a successful cruise aboard the Chaminix II with dancing, moonlight, and fireworks.

February 2007

Heartspring receives $1000 from Wichita Thunder and the Hoffen Foundation. Heartspring is a worldwide center for children with special needs located in Wichita, Kansas.

August 2006

The Ronald McDonald House in New Orleans opens thanks to the help of the Hoffen Foundation and the alliance we share with the Square D Company. On August 26th, the New Orleans Ronald McDonald reopened its doors to families of children who are being treated at nearby hospitals.

The house has been closed for almost a year after Hurricane Katrina damaged the “home away from home” for so many families on August 29th of 2005. The Hoffen Foundation partnered with the Square D Company to donate all the electrical distribution equipment for the house as well as a cash donation to be used for the installation of the equipment. On August 16th 2006, Hoffen Director Tim Zemens visited the Ronald McDonald House for the grand reopening.

Hoffen supporter and friend, Gord Dwyer gets the call. From the NHL website: “The National Hockey League has announced the promotions of 2 of its AHL/NHL Referees, Gordon Dwyer and Justin St. Pierre to full-time status as Referees in the NHL, as well as the hiring of AHL Referees Chris Ciamaga & Frederick L’Ecuyer to full-time AHL/NHL Contracts. Gordie started reffing at age 14 and referred minor hockey in the Sackville area since 1991, until he was hired to Officiate in the Quebec Major Junior League in 1999 as a linesmen — working the playoffs in the Q in his first season. The next season

Gordie became a referee in the Quebec league, as well as refereeing some University and Jr. A. games.

Gordie also worked the World Under 17’s in 2000 and was selected to referee the gold medal game. He was then hired by the Central Hockey League in 2001 refereeing for 2 seasons : 2001-2002, 02-03..and worked the Finals in the CHL in the 2002-2003 season. He also worked part time as a referee in the AHL in the 02-03 season.

In the summer of 2003 he was hired to a minor league contract by the NHL and then worked the next 3 seasons fulltime in the AHL. He refereed the Calder Cup finals in the 05-06 season, while also working his first NHL game November 19th, 2005 in Edmonton. He worked 21 NHL games this past season, before being promoted to full-time as an NHL Referee.”

July 2006

Zephyr Hats, the premiere hat manufacturer in the United States has formed an alliance with the Hoffen Foundation for the upcoming season. Zephyr, the manufacturer of the Hoffen Foundation’s “Caps for Courage” hats, as well as the official hat supplier of the Central Hockey League, has expanded their support to provide the Hoffen Foundation the new “rink rat hat” (our own specialty designed helmet looking winter) hat as well as supplying us additional hats for distribution to children at hospitals whenever we visit children’s hospitals.

June 2006

The Central Hockey League invited the Hoffen Foundation to their spring conference in June to participate in fund raising. A casino night and golf tournament were part of the festivities. suggested charities.

Former CHL linesman Tim Zemens from the Hoffen Foundation attended the conference, and helped raise over 4,000.00 for children’s charities throughout CHL markets.

March 2006

W ith the support from the Hoffen Foundation , The Central Hockey League (CHL) initiated the Captains for Courage program. The online auction raised over
$9000 in their initial auction of autographed captains jerseys from each CHL team.

January 2006

Director Tim Zemens is awarded the Thomas Barry award for the charity work associated with the Central Hockey League

December 2005

T he Hoffen Foundation has doubled in the contributions given to children's charities throughout the United States from the previous year. Additional projects bring children from area hospitals grew as well with children from children's hospitals visiting pro sporting events with the Ft. Worth Brahmas, and the Texas Tornados hockey teams as well as the Texas Rangers baseball club.

November 2005

The Hoffen Foundation teamed up with the Square D Company to bring the Ronald McDonald House in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Both entities worked together to donate the electrical equipment and additional funds which enabled the Ronald McDonald House to get back into the business of helping children and their families.

October 2005

Our annual golf tournament continued to grow. We welcomed more sponsors, including our major sponsor, the Square D Company.

The Central Hockey League (CHL) continued their support for the 2005/2006 hockey season. Over $8,000.00 has been donated to children's charities in cities which have CHL teams in the previous season.

September 2005

With the success of our idea of taking kids from local hospitals to hockey games, the Hoffen Foundation expanded the program when we took 20 kids from Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth to a Texas Ranger Major League Baseball game.

The Hoffen Foundation teamed up with two Dallas/Fort Worth charities (Dallas Children's Charities & Supporters of Children's Charities) to help evacuees of the Katrina Hurricane. Through clothing drives and food drives at local establishments, donations (over 5 truckloads) were collected and distributed directly to evacuees relocated in Dallas and Arlington, Texas.

Summer 2005

The summer of 2005 brought the success of previous baseball game fund raisers (two in 2004) to the forefront with four visits to Ameriquest Field in Arlington to see the Texas Rangers. Games on May 20th, June 27th, and August 4th raised over $1200.00. The success of the Ranger baseball game outings was duplicated in Detroit this year on June 18th when 60 people took to the road on buses from Wooley Bullys Bar & Grill in Mt Clemens, Michigan to Comerica Park to see the Detroit Tigers take on the San Francisco Giants. Over $1000.00 was raised through the event which included dinner, the game and fireworks.

March 2005

Hhe Hoffen Foundation welcomes the support of the Texas Tornados Junior A Hockey Club of the North American Hockey League. The 2003/2004 National Champions donated tickets to a game in March to the Hoffen Foundation which were given to Children's Medical Center of Dallas allowing children to put their treatments on hold for an evening and enjoy a night out.

February 2005

The Hoffen Foundation Holds Second Annual Brahmas Game Fundraiser On February 19th, the Hoffen Foundation held their second annual Fort Worth Brahmas hockey game fund raiser at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The Foundation sold over 100 tickets to the game and held a silent auction and raised over $800.00 in the process

December 2004

The Hoffen Foundation Takes Kids to a CHL Hockey Game in Odessa The Odessa Jackalopes of the Central Hockey League and the Hoffen Foundation invited children from the High Sky Children's Ranch in Midland Texas and their guests on December 21st when the Jackalopes hosted the San Angelo Saints. The kids enjoyed goodie bags which included the "Caps for Courage" hat and other souvenirs

November 2004

Caps for Courage Night at the Ft. Worth Brahmas The Ft. Worth Brahmas, The Central Hockey League, Clarion Hotel - Downtown Ft. Worth, The Hoffen Foundation and the employees of Mircosoft have teamed up to bring kids who are battling cancer to see a Ft. Worth Brahmas hockey game on Tuesday, November 16th at the Ft. Worth Convention Center. The kids and their families will enjoy a hockey game, along with other goodies including a "Caps for Courage" hat and a souvenir hockey puck.

October 2004

T he Hoffen Foundation second annual golf tournament was a huge success. The participants increased to 28 golfers and $2600.00 was raised for various children's programs. Check our Supported Charities page to see how your contributions are distributed. Sponsors included: Golden Distributing, Tarrant Lighting, Cooper Lighting, The Ft. Worth Brahmas, Circuit Breaker Sales of Gainsville, Texas, and Sue Halpern - Attorney at Law - Dallas, Texas. The event co-insides with the opening of Central Hockey League Training camp for the on ice officials of the League. The officials' support of the event shows the teamwork and leading by example attitude the Central Hockey League and it's staff has brought to the alliance with the Hoffen Foundation.

September 2004

The Hoffen Foundation Joins Up with the Central Hockey League The Hoffen Foundation and the Central Hockey League has announced a partnership, whose mission is to raise money to assist children with differing diseases, disabilities and socioeconomic challenges. Throughout the season, the CHL will initiate several hockey-related fundraising efforts in conjunction with the Hoffen Foundation, who will then distribute proceeds to specific charities within each CHL market as identified by member teams. "We are extremely excited to further our relationship with the Hoffen Foundation," said Brad Treliving, CHL President. "This will enable us to benefit charities across all CHL cities, and I encourage all member teams and our fans to support this most worthwhile cause."

Included in the efforts was a sports memorabilia auction which ended on October 12, 2004. Additional auctions of both CHL and other sports memorabilia are planned for later in the season.

Another fundraiser includes the "Caps for Courage" campaign, a program which sells custom designed hats to raise money for various projects. The program has its roots from CHL player Anthony Donskov who is working with the CHL and the Hoffen Foundation to expand his great success to include every city in the CHL family. Caps for Courage has two areas of focus; (1) to raise money through the sale of hats, and (2) to provide recognition to children who truly show courage as they battle various problems while being treated in hospitals.

"The Hoffen Foundation is extremely excited with our partnership with the Central Hockey League," said Zemens. "We look forward to helping the CHL give back to League communities and feel our combined efforts will give both organizations the opportunities to contribute much more to bettering the lives of children. We are grateful for their support and look forward to continued growth from our relationship with the Central Hockey League."

In addition, HockeyRefs.com is assisting with the Foundation, through their website and donation of several items for CHL auctions. "We at HockeyRefs.com are lending our support both the CHL and Hoffen Foundation with their effort to raise money for such a worthy cause," said Dennis Lennox II, Editor-in-Chief of HockeyRefs.com.

August 2004

In August The Hoffen Foundation held a fundraiser at a Texas Rangers Baseball game. The event had over 60 people attend. Each attendee received a goody bag along with their tickets. Fun and games were played throughout the game. It was such a great success that a second game was set up for September in which an additional 20 people attended.

A toy drive was established to obtain various toys, games, VHS movies and DVD's for teenage patients who are visiting local hospitals. The Foundation asked people to bring VHS movies or other 12+ age toys and games to a Happy Hour at Coconuts Bar and Grill in Dallas, Texas. The toy drive was also supported by the Square D Company in Coppell, Texas. The was a great success with over 90 VHS tapes being collected, and over 70 CD's, 20 DVD's and other various toys and games going to: Cook Children's Medical Center in Ft. Worth, Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, and the Ronald McDonald House in Dallas.

March 2004

Additional Board of Directors Named As of March 2004, Hoffen appointed four directors to oversee growth of the Foundation and foster leadership roles. With these new additions Hoffen is confident that the input and creativity the directors bring will take the Foundation in many new and exciting directions. The directors are as follows:

Robert Chuhak
Ramona Froeschl
John McManaman