Recipients

Help after major heart surgery. A longtime hockey player in several local leagues, Shawn has recently gone through major heart surgery, but now is on the road to recovery. He hopes to play again by the summer of 2013, and we’ll happily welcome him back. This season, DAWG Nation has become partners with the new team in town, the minor league Denver Cutthroats. A special night was set …

Assistance after a tragic accident. Cody Beekman is everything that DAWG Nation is all about. On Halloween in 2011, Cody’s car was struck by a drunk driver, and he was paralyzed from the chest down. When we got word of this, and got to know Cody and the Beekman family, we knew we had to jump in and help. In our most labor intensive project yet, we were able to build two ramps, a bathroom,…

Support with medical expenses. Kim McLeod was a long time coach in the Arvada Hockey Association, and had been waging the good fight against cancer for the past several years. Kim became part of the DAWG Nation family in 2012, not only by playing hockey and golf in our events, but also volunteering hours of his time to help our cause. Kim was exactly the kind of person we look for when we…

Help after a disaster. Ken Rose is 63, and a long time adult league player in Colorado Springs. In the summer of 2012, Ken lost his home and most of his belongings in the Waldo Canyon Fire, including all of his hockey equipment. During our annual golf tourney called “Tee It Up for DAWG Nation”, a special putting contest was held to win a notebook computer. For ten dollars, a player could …

Assistance with medical expenses. Christopher has been suffering from epilepsy since 2000. Due, to his illness, Christopher routinely suffers injuries from his falls. Unfortunately, drug therapy helps, but does not render him seizure free, making it difficult for Christopher to work. Even though his illness has its challenges, he is an avid hockey player. He can be found playing goalie sever…

Help with an immediate surgery. Jenya is an avid hockey player in the YMCA Boulder Valley adult league. He injured his knee playing in the DAWG Bowl II tourney in the summer of 2012. It was determined that Jenya would need immediate surgery to repair the injury, and DAWG Nation immediately sprang into action, granting money for the procedure. His friends and family also rallied to help him t…

Help after an injury. Scott is an on-ice official in the WCHA. He is long time board member and hockey instructor at his local club. He is very involved in the development of young hockey officials, and the growth of the Colorado Springs Officiating Association. He tore his MCL and meniscus refereeing a WCHA league game. Through extensive physical therapy, Scott returned to the ice in the fa…

Help with astronomical medical bills. Gabriel is the son of Chris and Debbie Acuna- Chris plays on one of our many teams in DAWG Nation. Gabriel was born in 2011, and has required several surgeries to help correct problems with his legs and feet. The medical bills have been astronomical, but DAWG Nation has been there to help put a dent in those costs. Last June, during our hockey to…

Help after a serious injury. Steve is a family man, and is married with several children. He plays in the RMHL league alongside several DAWG Nation players. In a regular adult league game in December of 2011, Steve had an accident on the ice, shattering his jaw in five places. Through extensive surgery, his jaw was put back together, but recovery has been a slow process. After several month …

Help with expenses following an injury. Ken plays in an over 40 league – the SDOHL in Lakewood, Colorado. In an unfortunate on-ice accident, in November of 2011 Ken lost an edge while skating towards the boards. He crashed awkwardly and broke his ankle in two places. Thankfully, he made a full recovery and is back on the ice. He has now been able to resume running a successful landscaping co…

Help with hospital bills. Timmy Kmetz is one of the goaltending anchors of DAWG Nation, and a survivor of cancer that nearly cost him a leg when he was a teenager in Minnesota. Last year, Timmy received a quadruple hernia while playing, and had to have surgery to correct the problem. During our first golf tournament in 2011, we were able to present him with a check to help pay his hospital b…

Help for an inspiration. Danny joined our original Junkyard DAWGs team as a teenager, and is still going strong now at the age of 26. We’ve watched him become a man, get married, and just recently, welcome his first child, a beautiful little girl called Kahlynn. Several years ago, Danny was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and has been battling and winning the fight against the disease. In …