Number of Participants: 400
Hours Donated: 4
Value of Time Served: $13,520
Event Type: Children & Youth
Sport: Ice Skating
Date: December 30, 2012
Location:
575 Vanderbilt Parkway Dix Hills
New York 11746, United States
About:
The Long Island Rebels Youth Hockey players are prime examples of the fortunate helping the less fortunate. These talented athletes have not forgotten those who could benefit from their services.
Long Island Rebels hockey players between 6 and 18 years old and their two sister organizations the Jr. Royals and the Lady Islanders joined with students from the Genesis School for Autistic Children and an open invitation for all special needs students from the Half Hollow Hills School District on December 30 to participate in the annual Buddy Skate program.
Buddy Skate allows peer-to-peer contact between the hockey players and the Genesis students, who are between 7 and 20 years old, and each Rebels player is matched with one Genesis student.
The program is designed to break barriers and foster relationships between groups that otherwise may not have much contact at all. It is common for people to develop misconceptions about various groups when they are not exposed to the people who comprise them, and thanks to programs like Buddy Skate, many Half Hollow Hills children will be less inclined to believe certain stereotypes.
Additionally, early participation in community service events will further prompt these athletes to continue giving back to the community as they get older.
