CHARLOTTE, NC – -The Charlotte Checkers are on a roll with a headline on their web-site that says, “Thank You Fans for a Memorable Inaugural Season”. They really mean it, what a season it was but 2011-12 is going to be even better, says Mike Lappan (Director of Public and Media Relations).
The Checkers’ first season in the AHL saw them defeat the Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the play-offs. A very strong Binghamton Senators, however, were just too much. The Senators went on to win the Calder Cup defeating the Houston Aeros in the final.
It was a slow start to the 2010-11 season but it picked up in November when the team started to put things together on the ice. They went from a 3-7 start in October to a 10-4 in November, followed by a 6-3 December, 2010.
Off the ice, the Checkers donated $335,000 to local charities. Michal Jordan, Riley Nash, Zach Boychuk and Casey Borer are just some of the Checker players that worked with local hospitals and charities.
When the Checkers heard that a young man by the name of Zach Bennett, who has neurofibromatosis (NFI), a degenerative bone disease, wanted to move from his hometown of Albany where he supported the Albany River Rats the team decided to help. The River Rats were moving to Charlotte, and he wanted to follow them. Zach’s parents Danielle and Randy Bennett put their house up for sale even though they did not really feel that they could afford the move, because of Zach’s love of his team. The Checkers stepped up to the plate for the boy, holding fundraisers and donating a portion of ticket sales to help pay for the big move.
Michael Kahn, owner of the Checkers then offered to assist the Bennett’s with the purchase of a house. So into play-off season the Bennett family moved to Matthews, N.C. The new home was purchased and furnished by the Checkers along with several donors. Bennett is now looking forward to a great 2011-12 season for his beloved team.
The Charlotte Checkers, like so many ice hockey teams are really community minded. Success on the ice goes hand-in-hand with success off it, which is what the Checkers are looking for. From Chubby, the polar bear mascot to the man at the very top Michael Kahn, everybody is dedicated to keeping the Charlotte Checkers a top club in the AHL.
Contact the writer at Eddie.Mitchell@prohockeynews.com
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