Bowling Green State University Athletics
Sentinel-Tribune To Sponsor Hockey Brick Campaign
December 05, 2000 | Ice Hockey
Dec. 5, 2000
By KEVIN GORDON
Sentinel Assistant Sports Editor
The Sentinel-Tribune is lending a helping hand to the renovation project for the Bowling Green State University Ice Arena.
The newspaper is sponsoring the athletic department's Brick Campaign for the Falcon hockey program and its addition to the northeast corner of the arena.
The expanded facility will include a new training room and fitness/rehab room, offices for the coaches, an expanded equipment room, and a new hall of fame room.
The hall of fame room is a players' lounge and a place where parents can wait for their sons after the game, and it would be the first place recruits see when they visit the Ice Arena. The room also will include pictures of former Falcons who are playing in the National Hockey League. The personalized bricks are selling for $200 (four inches by eight inches) and $500 (eight inches by eight inches), allowing individuals to be involved in the project. The bricks will be placed in the new walkway entrance of the renovated area.
The newspaper's involvement is being called the Sentinel-Tribune Challenge. Between now and Dec. 31 for every brick purchased, the newspaper will match the purchase with a financial contribution to the renovation project.
"We looked at (the arena) as a community building ... with the youth hockey, figure skating and curling ... and we're part of the community," said Richard Morris, Sentinel-Tribune vice-president and general manager.
"We just thought it was a good way for us to be part of the community and hopefully get them over the top on their project. Hopefully, this will spur the project on and get it moving."
The renovation project will cost $730,000. Over $600,000 already has been raised through contributions from BGSU hockey supporters, hockey lettermen and BGSU alumni in the NHL. The project is being funded solely with private money.
BG assistant athletic director Jane Myers, who oversees the Falcon Club, said 100 percent of the cost of the brick goes to the renovation project. The cost of the brick is tax deductible as a charitable contribution.
"It's a tremendous asset to have the Sentinel-Tribune involved in this much-need project. It's a community building and to have a community leader such as the Sentinel-Tribune involved will help increase the visibility of the project," Myers said. "We're very excited by our association with the Sentinel-Tribune, and this will help us make our final push."
The Brick Campaign is being chaired by Paul Yutzy, with former Falcon Dave Ellett serving as the honorary chairman. Ellett was a defenseman on BG's NCAA championship team in 1984 and played 16 seasons in the NHL before retiring earlier this summer.
"When we got close, within striking distance of our goal financially, we wanted to get the public involved," Myers said. "We've had so many different people from a variety of groups involved with the project."
The renovation should help BG recruit better players. All but two Central College Hockey Association schools -- Miami and Alaska-Fairbanks are the exceptions -- have significantly improved their arenas/facilities since BG installed the seats in the north end of the Ice Arena for the 1989-90 season.
"The walkway is the first point of entrance," Myers said. "The walkway will show our recruits the strong community support for the hockey program. We want them to have a good first impression of the facility and the program, and the renovation project will help us make that good impression."
The athletic department held an official groundbreaking for the renovation project Dec. 2, prior to the Falcons' game against Michigan State.
"This is long overdue for the program," Falcon coach Buddy Powers said. "When you stand pat, you fall behind because everyone is doing something. We have a good facility here, but it just needs to be brought up to speed. We want to have an impressive situation for them. The underlying theme of this is to help us recruit quality players for the program."
Persons interested in buying a brick should call Myers at 372-7100.
