sled bar

sled bar
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page by clicking on the image above.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Abilities Expo / Sleds & Soldiers II: The Rematch




We have a lot of stuff going on in March. First off, L.A. Kings Sled Hockey will be in Booth #818 at the L.A. Abilities Expo this weekend, March 6th to 8th, at the L.A. Convention Center.

Abilities Expo is the nation's largest gathering place for disability resources: wheelchair vendors, vehicle modification, continence supplies, learning materials, workshops, service dogs, handcycles, the Walk & Roll Wheelchair Dance Team, and adaptive sports, of course.

We thank the L.A. Kings and the Abilities Expo staff for including us in this year's event. If you have a disability, have a family member with a disability, or even know someone with a disability, come on by this weekend and check out the amazing variety of goodness on hand. You might even get to meet Bailey and the L.A. Kings Ice Crew!

Abilities Expo is in West Hall A of the L.A. Convention Center, next door to Staples Center at 1201 South Figueroa St., Los Angeles 90015. For more information about the Expo, visit the website at http://www.abilities.com/losangeles/.



The following week, the rematch is on! Sleds Soldiers returns to Palos Verdes Ice Chalet on Saturday, March 14th at 5:30 PM, as the L.A. Kings Sled Hockey team takes on Patriots Hockey.

The Patriots are a group of veterans and active-duty military personnel who play benefit hockey matches to support veterans' causes like Homes For Our Troops. They are an incredible group of hard-working men who are devoted to both their country and their sport of choice. The Kings sledders took the Patriots down 4-1 last year, but they've had time to stew and prepare for Round 2 this year, so it should be quite a show.

We will have two special guests in attendance this year. Adrienne Slaughter, United Way's Speaker of the Year, has had her own rematches with cancer over the years. Adrienne lost her right leg to a rare bone cancer when she was 14 years old. She was given a 1% chance of survival, but numbers are funny things. While it cost her a promising future in tennis, she didn't let the loss of her leg slow her down. Adrienne learned adaptive skiing and hit the road, sharing her story of recovery and renewal. A new roadblock came in 2009 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. But that, too, is in the past. We are proud to have Adrienne join us at this very special event.



Our other special guest puck-dropper is well-known to watchers of Food Network. Chef Duff Goldman, one of America's premier cake designers, is the host of Ace of Cakes, Duff Till Dawn, and Kids Baking Championship. He is the founder of the legendary Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, Maryland, and the recently opened Charm City Cakes West in Los Angeles. Besides being brilliant in the kitchen, Goldman is a lifelong hockey fan. He even took to the ice with some of the U.S. national sled hockey players back in 2010. It didn't go as well as he planned, so Duff will be content to cheer on the sidelines at Sleds & Soldiers.



Admission to Sleds & Soldiers is free, with a $5.00 suggested donation per person. All proceeds will be split between the two teams to support veterans' causes and adaptive sports opportunities. During the game we will auction various items, including a 2014 Stanley Cup Championship hockey stick signed by Kings forward Tyler Toffoli.

Ruby's Diner, right next door to the ice rink, will be doing an all-day fundraiser for both teams as well. If you stop in for lunch or dinner, sign in on the Sleds & Soldiers log sheet when you're done eating. A portion of the proceeds of your meal will be donated to Inland Valley Hockey Association.

Palos Verdes Ice Chalet is located inside the Promenade on the Peninsula shopping center at 550 Deep Valley Drive in Rolling Hills Estates. The rink's phone number is (310) 541-6630.

For more information about Sleds & Soldiers or L.A. Kings Sled Hockey, contact Todd and Christie Jenkins at (909) 863-1000 or LAKingsSledHockey@gmail.com. For more information about Patriots Hockey, contact Marv Floer at patriots.hockeyteam@gmail.com.