KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Today, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. proudly presented a $12,000 donation to the Kansas City Warriors, the city’s new ice hockey team comprised solely of disabled military veterans.
Left to right: Adam Peacock, Warriors; Lindsey Coker, Warriors; Kevin Jones, VFW Adjutant General; Matt Lawson, Warriors Founder; Hondo Tamez, Warriors; Joe Bezingue, Warriors.“We’ve been headquartered in Kansas City for more than 90 years and are happy to help support a hometown team, especially one that provides such a great opportunity for our local veterans to find healing and camaraderie,” said VFW Adjutant General Kevin Jones.
The Kansas City Warriors operates under the mentorship of the Minnesota Warriors, a program that works in conjunction with the USA Disabled Hockey Program and a leader in the disabled veteran’s hockey community. The teams use the game of hockey to assist veterans with disabilities in building self-confidence and helping them transition back into a mainstream lifestyle they had prior to their injury.
Participation in the Kansas City Warriors program is open to all injured or disabled veterans with a VA rating of 10 percent or higher, despite skill level.
“We’re very grateful to the VFW for helping us to operate,” said Matt Lawson, founder of the KC Warriors. “This gift is going to fund our program for the next six months."