Hockey Helping Heroes coming to the Toledo area

The Hockey Helping Heroes initiative and the Columbus Police Hockey team will be traveling   to Toledo to play the Toledo Police Hockey team in a charity game at the Huntington Center in conjunction with the Toledo Walleye. 

The puck will be dropped with the assistance of Ohio’s Top Cop, Ohio Attorney  General Dave Yost alongside members of the Dia and Stalker families.

 The game will take place on Sunday, January 30, in which all proceeds will go to the Dia-Stalker Memorial Scholarship Fund that is ran by the Toledo Public Schools Foundation.

Hockey Helping Heroes and the First Responder Face-Off Foundation in coordination with the Columbus Police and Columbus Fire Hockey teams have raised over $100,000 for various Central Ohio charities. 

“With the tragic loss of Officers Anthony Dia and Brandon Stalker with the Toledo Police Department, it only makes sense that we rally to support of the families, department and the Northwest Ohio community that continues to heal from the loss of two incredible public servants,” said a statement.

“We wanted to do this game over the summer of 2021, however with Covid protocols and everything else, it just wasn’t possible from a scheduling and ice availability standpoint. Now with a partnership  with the Toledo Public Schools Foundation and the Toledo Walleye, we  are able to move forward with a game in which we invite the community to take part.”

The Dia-Stalker Memorial Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to graduating Seniors from Toledo Public Schools who wish to pursue careers in public safety (law enforcement, firefighting, EMT and paramedic). Soon we are going to see kids who were able to take advantage of that fund out serving the citizens of Toledo and NW Ohio. When tragedy strikes a community, greatness erupts.

“Hockey is a sport that brings people together, especially in the middle of a cold, dreary Ohio winter. When you’re able to couple that with First Responder hockey action on the ice, in conjunction  with the support of the hometown hockey team and community, great  things will happen,” said Don Zender, Director of the First  Responder Face-Off Foundation. “Toledo is a great American city and  we’re honored to coordinate this event with the Walleye and hopeful to create a pathway toward healing” in Anthony and Brandon’s  service and sacrifice for their community that they proudly and  honorable served.

For tickets and additional information visit https://www.firstresponderfaceoff.com/toledo/.