Diversity profile -- Mount Vernon Hockey Club

While not as well known as its fellow Diversity Task Force program in New York City, Ice Hockey in Harlem, the Mount Vernon, New York based Mount Vernon Hockey Club has sent just as many future NHL stars to hockey camps in the USA and Canada.

The Mount Vernon Hockey Club was founded in 1997 by members of the Mount Vernon Firefighters Association and the Mount Vernon Police Benevolent Association.

The program is open to children ranging in ages five to 12 years of age, but they must be residents of the city of Mount Vernon.

They meet every weekend from mid-September until April. There is a summer program in July and August.

The program services 150 youngsters, but they anticipate more children coming into the program.

Youngsters in this program pay a minimal fee to join. There is a "learn to skate" program and the youngsters can join hockey teams, which are divided into mini-mites, mites, squirts, and pee wees.

The children are exposed to hockey on every level.

Not only do they have a year round ice skating rink called the "Ice Hutch," but the children also attend the New York Rangers' open practices.

They are also exposed to New York Islanders' and New Jersey Devils home games, as well as those of the New York Rangers.

Willie O'Ree has even conducted a clinic for the youngsters.

The club provides all necessary hockey equipment to the players. They hold fund raisers to keep the cost of the hockey equipment, which can be quite expensive, low.

The fund raisers also pay for the transportation costs to those NHL cities in the New York-New Jersey area.

When the program began in 1997, it had one mission, which hasn't changed -- to introduce the sport of hockey and ice skating to Mount Vernon youth who aren't really exposed to either sport.

In addition, the Mount Vernon Hockey Club provides the foundation for all Mount Vernon children to succeed in learning the game of ice hockey and to become useful and productive citizens, showing respect not only for others, but mainly for themselves.