Renee Hess, Kevin Hodgson and Howard Smith have been named the finalists for the 2021 Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award, the NHL announced Monday.
The award is given to “an individual who – through the sport of hockey – has positively impacted his or her community, culture or society.”
Hess, who founded Black Girl Hockey Club in 2018, has been a driving force in conversations of racial justice and equality in the game. Her non-profit was originally founded as a means of bringing together Black women in hockey and providing a safe space for fans to watch games together. It’s since grown to host events all over the U.S., while also offering leadership and mentorship development programs. Black Girl Hockey Club’s #GetUncomfortable campaign — which has been pledged by pro players, NHL organizations and many others in and around the sport — aims to disrupt racism on and off the ice, while BGHC’s scholarship has so far awarded $27,000 in grants to young Black girls in the game.
Hodgson’s HEROS program (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society), for which he serves as executive director, works with at-risk youth and with youth who experience physical and cognitive challenges, providing them with a safe and inclusive on-ice environment. The non-profit has 28 programs operating in 12 cities across Canada, consisting of both on-ice hockey programming and off-ice opportunities for personal development and scholarship assistance. Over the past two decades, nearly 10,000 kids have participated in the program.
Smith co-founded Pittsburgh I.C.E. (Inclusion Creates Equity) along with Cliff Benson. Their program focuses on offering children of all socio-economic backgrounds the opportunity to learn how to play hockey. Howard also works with Steel City Icebergs, a hockey program for children and adults experiencing developmental disabilities, and Pittsburgh Warriors, a non-profit hockey program for honourably discharged U.S. service members. After serving in the U.S. Navy himself for more than two decades, Smith has gone on to coach youth hockey, wounded veterans’ hockey teams, and special needs hockey teams.
The winner of the 2021 Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award will be determined by a fan vote and weighted votes from O’Ree himself, the NHL and sponsor MassMutual. Said winner will receive $25,000 USD, while the other two finalists will each receive a $5,000 USD prize.
Past winners of the award include Apna Hockey co-founder Dampy Brar, Flint Inner City Youth Program founder Rico Phillips and the late Darcy Haugan, who served as head coach of the Humboldt Broncos.
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