Portland Junior Pirates Help Renovate Mental Health and Veteran Facilities
Members of the Portland Junior Pirates joined forces with workcampNE to volunteer their time to give back to the local community. They painted, replaced flooring, cleaned and more at two facilities run by Volunteers of America, including the Veterans Career House and the Beach Street House, both in Biddeford.
“This is a dream come true for our clients and our staff at these programs,” said June Koegel, President and CEO of Volunteers of America Northern New England. “The work that is being done by the Portland Junior Pirates will really improve and brighten up these homes. We are truly grateful because this would not be possible without their generosity. This is a wonderful partnership that will benefit both of our organizations.”
In December about 20 members of the Portland Junior Pirates worked with workcampNE to work at the Veterans Career House in Biddeford. The program is run by Volunteers of America and is a two-year Transitional Living Program for eight homeless male veterans, helping them find employment and preparing them to live independently in their communities.
On Saturday, January 14, about 12 members of the Portland Junior Pirates hockey players and staff volunteered their time to renovate the Beach Street House in Biddeford. This is a house for men and women living with mental illness which allows them to live independently in the community.
All labor and materials for both projects were provided by the Portland Junior Pirates organization.
Community service is an important aspect of the Portland Junior Pirates program. “We believe that our job is to provide a well rounded experience for these players to prepare them for a future in an advanced level of hockey.” Said Brad Church, Head Coach and Director of Junior Hockey Operations for the Portland Junior Pirates.
“Today, professional teams want well-rounded players,” added Church. “They are actively engaged in serving their communities and expect players to represent their organizations in this important work. We want to instill that value in these young men at an early age. Besides playing hockey, we want them to use their visibility to be leaders and strong role models in their respective communities. We believe that this experience of working with homeless veterans will provide our players with both a rewarding and powerful learning experience that will last a lifetime.”
Portland Junior Pirates are committed to working with dedicated, talented young hockey players from around the globe in their off season, and providing them with the highest level of coaching, development, education and competition. The Selects Hockey Program for the Portland Junior Pirates was formed in 2003 with a simple goal; to provide deserving players an opportunity to compete against, develop and play with the top teams and players in the world. Players’ ages range from ages 16 to 23.