NHL Green, Restore Hockey to "Recycle the Game"

NEW YORK -- NHL Green has partnered with non-profit Restore Hockey to collect used equipment at the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® Spectator Plaza in Philadelphia.

As part of the "Recycle the Game" program, all fans are encouraged to drop off their used hockey equipment at the Restore Hockey hut in Spectator Plaza on Citizens Bank Way. Restore Hockey volunteers will collect and refurbish all donated equipment, which will be delivered locally to the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Philadelphia Flyers Chairman Ed Snider which builds lives and unites communities through the game of hockey.

Equipment donations will be accepted during the operating hours of Spectator Plaza (Saturday, December 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, January 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Monday, January 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.).

Each day, the first 50 fans to donate a piece of equipment will receive a Restore Hockey skate lace bracelet.  All donors will be entered to win signed NHL memorabilia, courtesy of the NHL Foundation.

"Our ultimate goal is to keep equipment out of basements and out of landfills," said Scott Crowder, Executive Director of Restore Hockey. "All gear collected in Philadelphia will be returned back to the ice, right where it belongs."

Restore Hockey is a division of Restore Sports, Inc., a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Through the recovery, restoration and sanitization of used equipment, Restore Hockey eliminates waste and provides underprivileged youths with the tools of the game.

Philadelphia Flyers founder Ed Snider created the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation in 2005 as a personal commitment to teach children important life lessons. Snider Hockey uses the sport of ice hockey to bring together a diverse population of children, providing a top notch sports experience and an array of educational and character development activities. In just its sixth full season, the program has grown to include over 2,500 participants.