ICERAYS & CPL RETAIL ENERGY HOST DRY GOODS DRIVE BENEFITTING USO OF SOUTH TEXAS

Mar 6, 2013

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX – The Corpus Christi IceRays and CPL Retail Energy are teaming up to collect dry goods and office supplies to benefit the United Service Organizations (USO) of South Texas.  

Before sequestration was hinted by Congress, the USO South Texas, a non-profit organization, raised its own funds to provide programs and events that  help alleviate the financial constraints on the active-duty military families in the Coastal Bend Region, serving at NAS Corpus Christi, NAS Kingsville, and the Port Aransas Coast Guard Station. Through the support of our community the USO serves meals every Wednesday for approximately 70-100 military members.  This has become such a popular occasion in the past nine months which started with 10-20 however the needs have expanded.  USO now serves between 70-100 military a day. Our major costs besides food are for dry goods, including paper goods such as plates, cups, utensils, napkins, paper towels and sani-wipes to name a few.  Office supplies are always in demand, from copy paper, Card stock, white boards and erasers/markers and more. 

Fans can bring dry goods to IceRays home games on March 8th, March 9th, March 23rd, and March 24th.  For every three items brought to the games, the Corpus Christi IceRays will donate a FREE voucher to the March 29th game against the Odessa Jackalopes at 7:05PM.

"It's always a pleasure to partner up with CPL Retail Energy as they always sponsor some great events,” said IceRays general manager Pat Dunn. “We are excited to be part of both the USO Food Drive & Street Hockey Challenge. I am sure that this will be a success just like any other events that we do with CPL.”

The IceRays and CPL Retail Energy will also be hosting the USO Street Hockey Challenge on Saturday March 16th from 12:00PM – 2:00PM in front of the American Bank Center as the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines will battle in a round-robin tournament for the Championship.  At the event, fans will have the opportunity to donate the three items and receive a FREE voucher as well.

“The USO lifts the spirits of our active-duty military and their families at home in South Texas and beyond… This is our mission which changes to meet the needs of our United States Military… especially as we enter this phase of sequestration,” explained Nancy Allen, USO South Texas President and CEO. “Building our community relationships for the military with organizations like the Ice Rays and CPL Retail Energy is a wonderful opportunity to get the whole family involved, to bring a touch of home to our local armed services.” 

For more than seventy-five years, CPL Retail Energy, the official electricity provider of the Corpus Christi IceRays (a Direct Energy company) has proudly served the families and businesses of this community.

“We’re thrilled that our partnership with the Ice Rays will also benefit the USO of South Texas through the activities planned in March,” said CPL Retail Energy General Manager Sara Updegrove.  “The Street Hockey Challenge is an example of great collaboration among CPL, the Ice Rays and the USO, which the community and our customers will enjoy, and another way of showing our support to servicemen and women.”

CPL is committed to making a difference in the lives of its customers and the communities it serves through programs like Reduce Your Use for Good benefitting non-profits and Power To Go products, which allow customers to prepay their electricity and save money.  As a long-time neighbor, CPL is dedicated to working with the South Texas community to help it thrive.

Service groups like YWCA, YMCA, and Goodwill came together to make up USO for the military and was established by President Roosevelt in 1941.

Below are items that will be accepted at the dry goods drive during the remaining IceRays home games.

– GIFT CARDS
– PAPER PLATES
– DESSERT PLATES
– CEREAL BOWLS
– HOT/COLD CUPS (VARIOUS SIZES)
– PLASTIC DRINKING GLASSES (VARIOUS SIZES)
– PLASTIC FORKS/SPOONS/KNIVES
– SERVING UTENSILS
– NAPKINS
– PAPER TOWELS
– ALUMINUM FOIL
– WAX PAPER
– PLASTIC WRAP
– BAGGIES (VARIOUS SIZES)
– LETTER SIZE COPY PAPER
– LEGAL SIZE PAPER
– PENS
– PENCILS
– MARKERS
– TAPE
– STAPLES
– STICKY NOTES

The IceRays return home this Friday and Saturday against Wichita Falls.  Puck drops at 7:05PM, coverage begins at 6:50PM with the IceRays Pregame Show on ustream.com, sportsjuice.com, the TuneIn Radio APP, and fasthockey.com. 

Stay current with the latest team news by visiting www.goicerays.com.  In addition stay connected with the IceRays on Facebook (/corpuschristiicerays), Twitter (@goicerays), and the team’s Youtube channel ICERAYS TV (@goicerays)

“THE NEW ICERAYS…TOMORROW’S STARS”