LITTLETON, Colo. — Even at the toughest moments, you never have to fight alone. That's the message that a Littleton hockey organization has been spreading for more than a decade.
"Dawg Nation Hockey Foundation started literally with the passing of a hat in the locker room when we had three of our own teammates battling cancer, and 12 years later, it's grown into this amazing part of the hockey community that people rely on," CEO and President Marty Richardson said.
Over the last 12 years, Dawg Nation has raised four million dollars for the Colorado hockey community, and more than 900 thousand just in the last year alone. The community relies on the foundation for financial relief from medical hardship, but they also rely on it for community support.
Dan Turner connected with the foundation's mission, originally acting as a donor.
"For years, I sponsored things for the Dawg Nation, I did golf tournaments and hockey tournaments," Turner said.
And then the relationship flipped on its head.
"A year ago in January, I ended up becoming a recipient," he said. "I had a heart attack on the ice playing over at Foothills Hockey against the Dawg Nation team."
Dave Tscherpel found the Dawgs after his leukemia diagnosis. His dream was to play in the foundation's annual survivor game.
"And two years ago, I was actually at that game with a cane and I sat in the stands to watch, and I told myself 'this will be one year from now and I'll be able to play,'" he recalled through tears. "But to be able to skate with the people that helped me to get there and to share that ice time, Marty and the Dawgs, it was amazing, it was a really amazing moment in my time."
Throughout the years, the skates became more frequent -- eventually turning into a weekly get together.
"So now we come down here every Wednesday morning and we have Hockey Heals, and it's a great group of guys that all have some kind of a medical condition and they are trying to come back and gain some strength and gain some hockey skills back," Tscherpel said.
Hockey Heals is a weekly ice time donated to the Dawgs by Edge Ice Arena.
"I like to say, 'it's not great hockey but it's great people,'" Richardson said.
Brian Peoples, a regular at Hockey Heals, suffered a stroke less than six months ago. He's finally back on the ice without the assistance of a walker, and felt relief with his own autonomy.
"You know, there's something about hockey that just brings people together," he said. "You know, you watch this and you don't see a single person getting off the ice with a frown on their face."
So what exactly is Dawg Nation?
"Dawg Nation means family and you saw family out here today," Richardson said.
"Generosity," Peoples added.
"Survival," Tscherpel chimed.
"The Dawgs are passionate about every walk of life," Turner said.
Especially passionate about helping the person next to them. Richardson was named one of three American finalists for the NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award. Turner said he can't imagine a better fit.
"Marty deserves it, if anything. The Dawgs deserve it," Turner said. "But Marty, he's an angel, he really is."
The Community Hero Award will be announced June 26 at the NHL Honors.
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