Bucks support the Laredo community

LAREDO, Texas — There is no question that nealy all professional sports teams try to stay involved in their communities. The Laredo Bucks are no different. A great deal of their success in the border town of Laredo can be directly attributed to their endeavors in the community. And they might just be a role model for success both on and off the ice. A lot of the credit has to go to Buck’s President, Head Coach and General Manager Terry Ruskowski. Having known “Rosco” since the inception of the Bucks into the CHL, I can say without reservation that he is a sincere, giving individual. While others may say what they think you want to hear, Ruskowski speaks with honesty and sincerety, especially when it comes to the community of Laredo and the importance of cultivating a community that he dearly loves. Staff, players, mascots, etc. make numerous appearances in the community throughout the year. The team also conducts blood drives and a number of other charitable events, two of which stood out in my mind. Earlier this month, the Bucks conducted a toy drive. They collected nearly 300 new toys from ticket holders and delivered them to children at Doctors Hospital just before Christmas.

Ruskowski, along with Bucks players, and staff visited the pediatric unit and the Emergency Room to deliver the toys. The team also sang Christmas Carols and took photos with the Children and the Hospital staff. “It’s always very gratifying to see the children with the big smiles on their faces,” Ruskowski said. “It warms our hearts to be a part of their holidays, it’s something that we take pride in doing.” It is even more gratifying that in these difficult financial times, people still come through, often at their own personal expense, to make others happy. The Laredo Bucks also do a lot for the military veterans in the area. They recently dedicated an entire night called ‘Salute to Heroes Night’ where they donated the proceeds from ticket sales to benefit the Wounded Warriors Project. The Wounded Warriors Project seeks to assist those men and women of our armed forces who have been severely injured during the conflicts in Iraq , Afghanistan , and other locations around the world. “This event is a very big thank you to the Veterans for putting their lives on the line,” Ruskowski said. “We encourage all of our fans to help the Wounded Warriors Project.” Many of the injuries are traumatic amputations, gunshot wounds, burns, and blast injuries that will retire these brave warriors from military service. The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization. “We want every single wounded warrior to know they are not alone,” Director of the Wounded Warriors Project John Melia said. “They have an extended family of fellow warriors and supporters standing by to offer friendship and support.” Editorial note:  As a retired military Viet Nam veteran, it does my heart good to see the support that today’s vets receive, not only from the sports world, but from many of our US citizens.  I only wish the vets of my day would have had the same support and understanding. Contact the correspondent at: mitch.cooper@prohockeynews.com