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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Office: (815) 939-1946
ASHKUM GO-GETTERS SET TO “FLOOD” WATSEKA FOOD PANTRY ASHKUM 4-H CLUB FUNDRAISING SKATE TO BENEFIT WATSEKA FOOD PANTRY
SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2008 FROM 1:00 – 4:00PM OAK ORTHOPEDIC SPORTS ARENA
KANKAKEE, IL February 18, 2008 -- The Ashkum Go-Getters 4-H Club is planning to “flood” the Watseka Food Pantry with donations! The club will be sponsoring a skating fundraiser at OAK Sports Arena on Saturday, March 8, 2008 from 1:00-4:00pm. The public is invited to attend the event. The cost is $5.00 for students and $7.00 for adults. Cost includes public skate admission and skate rental. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Watseka Food Pantry. The 4-H Club will also be accepting donations of non-perishable food items that day. The Ashkum Go-Getters discussed many ideas for their community project. The Club wanted to aid the Watseka flood victims, and decided that they could reach the most people by assisting the food pantry. Club Co-Leader, Debbie Peters, states, “Most people want to help, but don’t know how to help. This event will give them the opportunity to reach out and assist others.” The Go-Getters are hoping that their donation from the Fundraiser Skate will fill the Watseka Food Pantry to “overflowing”. The public is invited to come out and support their community, while skating and having fun!
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For more information on this topic please contact Debbie Buchanan at (815) 939-1946, ext. 221.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Debbie Buchanan, Director of Community Relations CURLING ROCKS AT OAK ORTHOPEDIC SPORTS ARENA! MONICAL’S PIZZA SPONSORS AREA CURLING CLUB
KANKAKEE, IL January 22, 2008 -- There’s a new game in town! Long a well kept secret, the Olympic sport of curling has swept onto the local scene at OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena. Monical's Pizza is the corporate sponsor of the first-ever Curling Club in the area, according to Arliss DeYoung, Sales Representative for OAK Sports Arena.
At the present time, there are 4 teams playing
in the Monical’s Pizza-OAK Arena Curling Club League. Players need to use
precision placement and strategy as they throw, or “shoot”, a 42 pound
granite rock down the ice. It is a game that requires balance, flexibility
and control. Players may walk as much as 2 miles during a regular match.
Although often compared to bowling, curling is more similar to shuffleboard.
OAK Arena has reserved prime ice time for a Curling League on Sunday nights from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. The cost is $70 per person and includes seven guaranteed two hour games, equipment usage, and consolation or championship games. OAK Arena also offers Learn to Curl classes every Sunday evening, or by appointment. People of all ages and ability levels are encouraged to play. Currently, OAK Arena offers Learn to Curl for ages 13 & up, however all participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The Monical’s Pizza-OAK Arena Curling Club League’s schedule can be found online at http://www.oakorthoarena.com/league.htm. Spectators are welcome and may watch the games free of charge. Anyone interested in learning more about curling, should contact OAK Arena at 815-939-1946.
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For more information on this topic please contact Debbie Buchanan at (815) 939-1946, ext. 221.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Debbie Buchanan, Director of Community Relations JINGLE BELL FEVER HITS OAK ORTHOPEDIC SPORTS ARENA 1ST ANNUAL JINGLE BELL BINGO & SKATE BENEFITING THE ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2007 FROM 1:00 – 4:00PM
KANKAKEE, IL November 27, 2007 -- Jingle Bell fever is at an all time high as OAK Sports Arena kicks off the holiday season with the 1st Annual Jingle Bell Bingo & Skate for Arthritis on Saturday, December 8, 2007 from 1:00-4:00pm. The public is invited to attend the event, where they can choose to play Bingo or ice skate. The cost for skating is $5.00, which includes skate rental. Bingo admission is $5.00 and includes one bingo card. Additional cards will be sold on site for 25˘. Proceeds will benefit the Kankakee Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. Participants should expect a warm holiday atmosphere and lots of family fun. Bingo players will have the opportunity to win “split the pot” prizes, as well as prizes donated by Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and The Homestead Restaurant. Ice skaters can win prizes donated by the Chicago Wolves, Mancino’s Pizza and Grinders, and McDonalds. Similar to the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis, Jingle Bell Bingo and Skate participants may raise pledges for the local Arthritis Foundation to win incentive prizes. Groups or individuals wishing to pre-register for the event may pick-up a registration form at OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena, located at 1601 River Road in Kankakee, or call 815-939-1946 for more details. Walk-ins will also be welcomed the day of the event. Make sure to glide over to OAK Sports Arena on Saturday December 8th for the 1st Annual Jingle Bell Bingo and Skate. Share in the holiday fun while supporting your local Arthritis Foundation. Jingle all the way!
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For more information on this topic please contact Debbie Buchanan at (815) 939-1946, ext. 221.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Debbie Buchanan, Director of Community Relations NEW GM GLIDES INTO OAK ORTHOPEDIC SPORTS ARENA FREE MEET & GREET DROP-IN HOCKEY WITH NEW GM / HOCKEY DIRECTOR ROBERT LOPEZ THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2007 FROM 6:00 – 8:00PM
KANKAKEE, IL August 13, 2007 -- OAK Sports Arena will be holding a “Meet and Greet” with Robert Lopez, the new General Manager and Director of Hockey at OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena. The public is invited to attend this informational session, where they will have the opportunity to meet Rob while learning more about OAK Arena’s Youth Hockey Program. Rob’s vision for OAK Sports Arena is to implement a 25 week hockey school program that is three-tiered. First, the Head Start Hockey Program will teach new players the fundamental skills of hockey. In the second tier of the program, each child will get the chance to skate with players from his or her school. This program will include all ages from Mites to Midgets and will be known as OAK’s "City" league. Once this program is up and running, "selection teams" will be made from all of the best players within each age bracket. This will become the travel program. Rob states, “My goal is to bring a more European style of hockey to Kankakee. I am looking forward to building hockey programs that are enjoyable for each age level.” Rob was hired as General Manager and Director of Hockey by Advanced Arenas, Inc., the managing partner of OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena. He brings a wealth of talent and over thirty years of coaching experience to the Kankakee area. Rob has served as Head Coach and General Manager for the University of Washington Huskies Ice Hockey Club. As Head Coach for the University of Mexico, he developed a youth hockey program for the Pumas of U.N.A.M. The program grew from an enrollment of 125 students to over 900 in two years. During that time, he took all five age groups to nationals and won in each age category. Rob also developed a youth hockey program for the Houston Aeros of the IHL. As the Director of Hockey, he implemented programs that increased the membership from 100 to 500 students in a six month program.
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For more information on this topic or to schedule an interview with Robert Lopez, contact Debbie Buchanan at (815) 939-1946.
The Ice Valley Centre opened its doors to the public for the first time on September 9, 2005. We kicked off this long-anticipated opening by offering three straight days of public skating and even had an award presented to the first person to ever skate on the ice! Just two weeks later, on September 23, the announcement was made that the Ice Valley Centre was being renamed the OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena, thanks to the terrific sponsorship of the OAK Orthopedic Associates of Kankakee. On October 1, 2005, the newly named OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena celebrated its Official Grand Opening. The arena welcomed the St. Louis Blues Alumni team as they took on the Advanced Arenas All-Stars. Afterwards, fans were able to dine with the players, including Hall of Famer Bernie Federko at the Post-Game Buffet, provided by The Homestead. OAK Arena rounded out 2005, proudly hosting the 6th Annual Breakfast with Santa, an event designed to help the children of Kankakee celebrate the spirit of Christmas in a safe place where they could visit with Santa, receive gift bags filled with goodies, eat a hot breakfast, and enjoy games, crafts, and now ice skating at no charge. Thanks to the hard work and sponsorship of the Resident Advisory Council of Kankakee, the Kankakee Valley Park District, Advanced Arenas, and Ultra Foods, to name a few, over 500 children and parents took part in the festivities. The new year kept all of our skaters busy preparing for our Mancino’s Skate for the Gold Winter Olympic Kick Off Celebration! Spectators delighted in watching the Skate School and Figure Skating students perform individual short programs and cheered on the Hockey students as they demonstrated speed skating at its best! They were also treated to all of our students joining hands in formation of the Olympic Rings and skating in synchronized style. Following the Winter Olympics, our program numbers increased across the boards, filling our ice with students eager to learn the winter sports they just witnessed. We followed up that skating exhibition with our Annual Spring Ice Show on May 5, 2006. “Standing in the Shadows of Motown” was the theme and our Figure Skating students dazzled as they performed to greats such as The Jackson Five, Diana Ross, and The Temptations. Over 600 spectators packed in to the OAK Arena to watch our talented group in action! June 2006 saw another Olympic sport make its debut in Kankakee when Curling was added to our regular schedule. Many took advantage of the opportunity to try this obscure sport, which is currently one of the fastest growing sports in the nation! Our program has continued to grow and we are on the brink of forming Kankakee’s first ever Curling Club! Figure Skating fans were once again wowed when 2006 Olympian Matt Savoie skated a private exhibition for OAK Arena students and families in August 2006. Matt, originally from Peoria, has family in the Kankakee area and was pleased to be able to skate for them on “home ice”. Matt skated his Olympic program to music by Duetto, moving many fans to tears. Several OAK Arena Figure Skating students were also given the opportunity of a lifetime to skate their own short programs as part of the exhibition. As the summer came to a close, OAK Arena ended their first year the same way they began…in grand style! Zamboni’s 1st Birthday Party was a huge, two day, fun-filled, family event that featured bounce houses by Ups & Downs, Zamboni Birthday Cake by Ultra Foods, pony rides, and the Name the Zamboni Contest. The winner of the contest, with her entry of “Zoey”, was Delaney O’Connor from Limestone. One year has come and gone and OAK Arena slides into their second season, a season that is shaping up to be better than ever with more Kid’s Day Off skates, more public skating during holiday breaks, Breakfast and Skate with Santa, January’s Family Health Fair, Kankakee Valley Park District’s WinterFest, Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Book Drive the first weekend in March, the 2nd Annual Spring Ice Show “Rollin’ Out the Red Carpet” in May, and A+ Days beginning in June! Don’t miss out on another great year at the OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena, where we put the “cool” back in family fun! For more information about any of the above listed events, dates, times, or programs, please visit our website at www.oakorthoarena.com or call us at 815-939-1946.
September 12, 2006 Contact: Beth Ricciardi, GM & Director of Community Relations 815-939-1946 ex. 225
OAK ARENA SAILS INTO SECOND SEASON The OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena kicked off their second season in grand style, dubbing their weekend-long one year anniversary celebration “Zamboni’s 1st Birthday Party.” The centerpiece of the event was the “Name the Zamboni Contest,” which received over 100 entries. Arena staffers selected five finalists and patrons attending the event voted on their favorite name, ultimately selecting “Zoey” as the new name for the Zamboni. Other finalists included “Z-Bone”, “Gelato”, “Ka-Zam”, and “Dr. Zeus”. “Zoey” was entered by 8-year-old Delaney O’Connor of Kankakee, daughter of Jamie and Debbie O’Connor. When asked why she chose the name, she said that she has a friend whose dog is named “Zoey” and that there is a character on TV with that name. For her winning entry, Delaney received a skating party for up to 20 guests, a prize valued at approximately $300, as well as getting her picture taken in the driver’s seat of the newly named machine. The arena hosted outdoor activities as part of the festivities such as bounce houses from Ups & Downs, pony rides from Horse Cents Ponies for Parties, and wagon rides compliments of Country Fruit Market. Inside events included free Learn to Skate mini-lessons from the arena Figure Skating Staff, movies, and Zamboni Birthday Cake from Ultra Foods. The Advanced Pro Shop got in on the action with a Sidewalk Sale, boasting items marked down as much as 70% off. Their sale continues indefinitely. Staff members from the Daily Journal and The Herald Country Market competed in the Media MatchUp Curling Exhibition, which was called due to time after 3 ends of play and The Herald leading 2-0. A free curling open house was also offered, with many patrons taking advantage of the opportunity to learn the sport. OAK Arena currently offers Learn to Curl classes for just $20 per person and Curling matches for those who have been through Learn to Curl for just $10 per person, both on Saturday nights from 5:15-7:15pm. Other programs available for all ages and skill levels are Learn to Skate for both Figure Skating and Hockey and Learn to Play Hockey. Daily public skate times, drop in hockey, birthday parties, fields trips, and group rates are also available. For more details, visit www.oakorthoarena.com or call OAK Arena at (815) 939-1946.
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE Contact: Beth Ricciardi, GM & Director of
Community Relations The OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena played proud host to 2006 Olympic Figure Skater Matt Savoie on August 6. Matt skated a private exhibition for family and friends, and graciously opened the event to the current OAK Arena Learn to Skate students and families. Several of the OAK Arena students had the honor of performing their short programs and then skating a curtain call with Mr. Savoie and posing for pictures afterwards. Many spectators also received autographs from the Olympian. Matt is from Peoria, Illinois and is a member of the Illinois Valley Figure Skating Club. He first gained prominence as the 1997 U.S. Junior Champion and went on the place in the top five at every U.S. Figure Skating Championship between 1999 and 2006, winning bronze medals in 2001, 2004, and 2006. His international highlights include appearances at the World Figure Skating Championships in 2002 and 2004, and bronze medals at the 2006 Four Continents Championships, the 2001 Grand Prix Final, and the 2000 World Junior Championships. In January of this year, he earned a trip to the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy with his 3rd place finish at the U.S. Championships in St. Louis. He is rare among elite skaters for his commitment to higher education, graduating summa cum laude from Bradley University in 2002 with a major in Political Science and a minor in Biology. Matt went on to earn his master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and received the AICP Outstanding Graduate Student Award for 2005. This fall, he will be attending law school at Cornell University. The OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena is entering into the second year of operation and offers Learn to Skate, Hockey, & Curling programs, as well as Public Skating, Party Packages, Group Rates, Field Trips and much more. For information about OAK Arena and programs available, please call (815) 939-1946 or visit www.oakorthoarena.com. **Information on Matt Savoie obtained from unidentified internet source. Photos
In front (l to r) – Ellie Nighswander, Krissy Bitsky, Katelyn Shier In back (l to r) – Brittany Wonders, Michaela Dennis (instructor), Guest of Honor Olympian Matt Savoie, Naina Chandan, Neha Chandan, Jennifer Olson (instructor).
Contact: Beth Ricciardi at (815) 939-1946 ex. 225 or bethricciardi@corehockey.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE Contact: Beth Ricciardi, GM & Director of
Community Relations
AT THE NEW OAK ORTHOPEDIC SPORTS ARENA
The Breakfast & Skate with Santa takes place on Dec. 10, 2005, with breakfast from 9:30am-12:30pm and skating from 1:00pm-5:00pm. The Breakfast with Santa is an event run entirely by volunteers and is free to all guests. Ultra Foods has generously donated skate admission for 200 guests. Santa will be making a grand (and surprise) entrance on the Zamboni at 10:00am. Other activities include crafts, games, face painting, and photos with Santa. The Arena will also feature a Used Figure Skating Apparel Sale and 15-205 off at the Advanced Pro Shop. All press are welcome to attend. # # # # For additional information, please call Beth Ricciardi at 815-939-1946 or email at bethricciardi@corehockey.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE Contact: Kim Do (pronounced
Dough) NEW NAME FOR KANKAKEE'S ICE VALLEY CENTRE OAK Orthopedics Partner with Kankakee Valley Park District The Kankakee Valley Park District has secured a naming rights sponsor for the Ice Valley Centre. OAK Orthopedics have committed to a five-year deal in which the Ice Valley Centre will be renamed OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena. In addition to naming rights, OAK Orthopedics will provide limited on-site medical staffing at the facility in a Lower Lobby Room situated between the locker rooms. OAK Orthopedics also plans to offer Advanced Training Programs to community athletes during the summer months. The amount of the sponsorship will not be disclosed. "We are excited that this facility is going to offer opportunities for hockey, figure skating, and recreation that the public has not had in over twenty years," says Leo Swift, Executive Director. "The opportunity for competitive sports at this type of venue is a great way to develop kids and showcase how committed our community is to our youth programs. This ice arena, along with Splash Valley and the baseball fields, make Kankakee a great place to live and raise a family." OAK Orthopedics is committed to providing the most comprehensive and highest-quality orthopedic care available. Prompt access to care is their Number-One priority. Service to our patients is their Number-One goal. The new OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena features public and group skating times, competitive figure skating, high school hockey clubs and house hockey leagues. The facility offers concessions, birthday party packages and an Advanced Pro Shop. The new facility also houses KCC’s new Fitness Center. The 3,500 square foot center offers Life Fitness circuit training machines, aerobicycles, step climbers, elliptical cross trainers and treadmills. Memberships are available; for information, phone (815) 802-8606. The OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena is located south of downtown Kankakee, on River Road on the southern edge of the Kankakee Community College campus. From I-57, take Exit 308 1 mile north on US 45-52, then 1 mile east on River Road. For more information, call (815) 939-1946 or log on to www.oakorthoarena.com.# # # # If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please call Kim Do at 630/379-8344 or email kdo@arenamarketing.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For
More Information Contact:
CANADIAN HUSBAND-AND-WIFE TEAM KANKAKEE -- The
Kankakee Valley Park District and Advanced Arenas, Inc. have announced that
Gary and Beth Ricciardi from Thunder Bay, Ontario, have been named
co-managers of the new Ice Valley Centre. Gary and his brother Jeff are co-founders of Core Hockey, a premiere ice hockey training camp in the Thunder Bay area. Gary is a 2000 graduate of Ferris State University, where he was the ice hockey team captain and a CCHA All-Academic All Star his senior year. He has played professionally in the United Hockey League, the ECHL, and the Italian Elite League, and brings a wealth of talent and experience to the Kankakee area. As an instructor, Gary has developed and taught several ice hockey clinics, and skating strength and conditioning programs. He will be teaching Let’s Play Hockey classes for all ages, as well as Learn-to-Skate youth classes. Beth earned her B.S. in Elementary Education from Millikin University in 2000, and most recently was Director of Operations for the Roanoke Express hockey team in Roanoke, VA. In her position, she was also Community Relations Coordinator, Director of Ticketing, and Director of Game Day Operations, organizing special promotions, marketing and day-to-day operations for the team. The Ricciardis will be relocating to the Kankakee area in September. Advanced Arenas, Inc. is the managing partner of the new $7.5 million Ice Valley Centre, built with $6 million of Illinois FIRST money earmarked for the community by former Gov. George Ryan. The facility is located on River Road on the northeastern edge of the Kankakee Community College campus, and includes a health and fitness center. Opening day of the Ice Valley Centre is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 9th, with a Grand Opening celebration in early October. # # # # # For more information, contact the Kankakee Valley Park District at (815) 939-1311.
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