The Hockey Humanitarian Award - designed to honor college hockey's finest citizen - has narrowed its field to five finalists for the 2012 honor. The award, which is sponsored by BNY Mellon Wealth Management, introduced the finalists Wednesday:
Shawn Baker, Senior Defenseman, Norwich University
From Mont-Laurier, Quebec, Baker is the Cadets' captain and has been a leader off the ice as well. He has been a member of the Northfield (Vt.) Volunteer Fire Department for the last four years and in that capacity was one of the first responders this past fall when the area was devastated by the after effects of Hurricane Irene. He took an active role in helping rebuild neighborhoods, and spent countless hours helping families restore their homes and lives. He is also active in the community, helping area youths with birthday parties, skating clinics and other events.
Aleca Hughes, Senior Forward, Yale University
A repeat finalist and senior team captain from Westwood, Mass., Hughes is the founder of the Mandi Schwartz Foundation, so named and organized to honor the memory of former teammate Mandi Schwartz, who passed away in April of 2011 after a nearly three-year battle with leukemia. To help Mandi stay alive, Aleca and her teammates organized three record-setting marrow donor drives to add more than 2,500 names to the National Marrow Donor Program’s Be The Match registry. She also organized two White Outs For Mandi which raised more than $40,000 for Schwartz and her family as well as cancer research. Hughes has also spearheaded many other charitable initiatives, including the Bulldog Buddies program, which has connected Yale athletic teams with young brain tumor patients.
Kevin McNamara, Senior Defenseman, Colgate University
In April 2011, McNamara, a senior co-captain from Chestnut Hill, Mass., started his own charitable organization called Goals For Good, which provides a vehicle whereby people can donate to the non-profit organization of their choice through college hockey. Created as a friendly competition, college teams can tally their donations by goal, by win, or by weekend if they choose, and at the end of each week teams are put into standings based on the amount of money raised. He has connected every ECAC team to a partnering charity, and has obtained three major sponsors for the initiative. McNamara is also deeply involved in area food and toy drives, initiatives initially started by former Raider teammate and 2010 Hockey Humanitarian Award recipient Ethan Cox.
Tucker Mullin, Junior Forward, St. Anselm College
A repeat finalist and junior co-captain from Andover, Mass., Mullin is the co-founder of the Thomas E. Smith Fight to Cure Paralysis Foundation, which gives emotional and financial support to those affected by and living with paralysis. The foundation gives monetary grants to individuals for medical expenses, equipment, physical therapy, nursing care and many other things not covered by insurance. Through a series of events Mullin and the foundation have already raised well over $50,000. Mullin is also a student ambassador for Team Impact, a New England-based non-profit serving and supporting kids facing life-threatening diseases.
Cody Reichard, Senior Goaltender, Miami University
A repeat nominee from Celina, Ohio, Reichard founded Swoop’s Stoop, a program whose mission is to provide life-enriching experiences to area kids facing life changing illnesses. The program works by bringing a sick child from Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital to a Miami home game, where they receive game tickets, a t-shirt, a bracelet and free food and drink. In addition, Reichard, Swoop (Miami’s RedHawk mascot) and several Miami teammates visit Children’s Hospital on a monthly basis to play and interact with sick children. This year, Reichard successfully brought a corporate sponsor (Step Resources) into the mix, and has raised more than $11,000 to further help the Swoop’s Stoop cause. Reichard is also involved with several other team charities.
This year, each finalist will be recognized with a monetary donation to the charity of their choice.
On Friday evening April 6, the 2012 recipient of the BNY Mellon Wealth Management Hockey Humanitarian Award will be introduced at a ceremony as part of the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four in Tampa, Florida.