Here’s how you can help the Wichita Ice Center win $150,000 and bring NHL to Wichita
The Wichita Ice Center could win $150,000 in rink improvements and be in line to host an NHL preseason game by the end of this weekend, but it needs help from the Wichita community.
Wichita’s facility is one of four finalists — East Grand Forks, Minnesota, El Paso, Texas and River Falls, Wisconsin are the others — vying to be named Kraft Hockeyville USA 2020 in an annual competition sponsored by the National Hockey League and its Players’ Association.
So how can Wichita win the grand prize and score a future NHL preseason game? Vote and continue voting.
It only takes a few moments to complete registration on krafthockeyville.com, then fans can cast an unlimited number of votes for the Wichita Ice Center until the voting window closes at 10 a.m. Sunday. Fans can also follow along on the Wichita Ice Center’s Facebook page.
“We’re hoping to rally the community and get people online to vote, vote, vote for us until it closes on Sunday morning,” said Bryan Goff, the general manager of the Wichita Ice Center.
“This year is Wichita’s 150th birthday, so it seems like in our 150th year we would be destined to win the $150,000,” Thunder general manager Joel Lomurno said. “It’s a big year for the city and this would be a huge milestone for us and bring everybody together.”
The Wichita Ice Center features two rinks, an Olympic rink and an NHL-sized rink, that are both in good condition. But the facility could certainly use an upgrade in equipment and Goff said the influx of money could solve the desperate need for a new Zamboni to clean the ice rinks.
By being named a finalist, the Wichita Ice Center has already won at least $10,000 in rink upgrades and $10,000 of new hockey equipment. If it finishes second in voting, then Wichita would receive $30,000 in rink upgrades.
“This money could be a game-changer for us because it would give the community a better rink,” Goff said. “I think we have a great rink here now, but I know everybody could use improvements and $150,000 could definitely help.
“We’d love to expand our ‘Learn to Skate’ program and then the new equipment would help with our youth hockey, so we could provide for children in need and overall help our programs grow.”
So how did Wichita become a finalist?
Thank Sabrina Pfeifer, a Wichita native and a Wichita Ice Center enthusiast. She submitted a testimonial on Wichita’s part that displayed the community’s commitment and passion to hockey. In the end, her work counted for 80% of Wichita’s points that helped advance the city to the final round of voting.
“Really my inspiration for the story came down to the people,” Pfeifer said. “It really is like a second family when you go to the rink. It doesn’t matter what your background is, you are part of the family. I think that highlights a lot of good things about Wichita and how we’re friendly and passionate and competitive. I believe we are the best in the country, so I really hope we can show the country what our community is about.”
This story was originally published August 29, 2020 at 10:27 AM.
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