Written by Judd Spicer

Here’s a number that’s too meaningful to fit on any one jersey: $800,000.

That’s how much cash the Firebirds’ One Valley Foundation (onevalleyfoundation.org) put back into the local community last season, with said philanthropic funds being namely raised via game-worn/specialty jersey auction sales.

This year? The figure looks to be undoubtedly surpassed, with the palpable funds and hands-on impact reaching far beyond the dimensions of Acrisure Arena. With 99.9% of donations staying directly in the valley, the Foundation is working to create more than a growing ‘Birds’ fan base – it’s aiding the roster of the entire desert community.   

“One of the things we’re very focused on is the Firebirds leaving a lasting legacy on our valley,” says Andrew Mason, VP of the One Valley Foundation and Firebirds’ senior director of community relations.

With Mason fast to reference and recall the ‘Birds’ debut playoff run — with all manner of thousand-dollar suits in the stands, mixing with folks who literally just got off of work in the fields donning dirty jeans – the valley’s unique melting pot has provided distinct direction for the Foundation’s altruistic aims.  

Even before an inaugural puck was dropped for the fresh franchise, ‘Birds’ had already set nest on communal direction, establishing hockey programs across all three local school districts and in every area elementary school.

Coupling the programs with an in-person presence, kids fast took note. Says Mason:

“When we drive through the neighborhoods with the Firebirds’ truck, the kids chase us around like we’re an ice cream truck, and cheering, ‘The Firebirds are here!’ I mean, a lot of these neighborhoods we go into, the (school) teachers will tell us that some of these kids have never owned a first-hand shirt.”

For adult fans, attire of the game authentic variety has proven a Foundation fulcrum advancing far beyond fashion. 

This year’s “Dia de los Muertos Night” ultimately raised over $129,000 in jersey auction sales; putting the giving season in motion and working in concert with the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition, the Foundation put the dollars to direct use for the valley’s vast agricultural community.

“It’s just incredible the amount of heart and work that these folks put in on a daily basis, just to take care of their families; it’s the parents working in the fields and the grandparents, too,” says Mason. “One gentleman who comes to mind, he’s 78-years-old and goes out and works three different jobs. With these jersey sales, we were able to pay delinquent rent for 33 households of farm workers, and to pay the December rent (farm-worker housing in Indio) for 85 households.”

Consulting with counselors at farm-worker housing to recognize families in need, the Foundation now annually “adopts” families for the holiday season.

  “This is a list of kids seven, eight, nine years old; and they send us their wish list to Santa,” Mason says, “and the first thing on that wish list isn’t an iPad or a PlayStation-5 – it’s a comfy bed. Or sheets for their bed.”

In concert with donating 30 Christmas trees to farm worker homes this year, the Foundation and team are especially hands-on when it comes to holiday impact for the adopted families.

“We’re actually just about to head out to Target with some coaches, players and their wives or girlfriends, and we’ll start shopping for these wish lists,” enthuses Mason. “And, post-game on Sunday (December 15), we’ll go down to the Compound and those kids and their families will be there; there’s a Christmas tree, and Santa will come over and greet them and all these gifts will be under the tree. It’s one of my favorite parts of the season, to see the players with these kids; last year, I remember the players going into their own pockets to buy extra items for these kids.”

Further Foundation efforts honor servicemembers via the team’s “Military Appreciation Night” held this year on November 10. Raising nearly $134,000 via auction sales, the team’s partnerships with Spotlight 29 Casino and Stater Bros. resulted in the donation $10-K worth of various items (diapers, baby formula, canned goods) to the YMCA pantry at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms.

Such a salute didn’t cease with gratis goods.

“We partner with the USO every year . . . and make sure that, for the soldiers coming here, they’ll have an amazing place to go to distract them for their demanding lives and the process of moving back-and-forth between bases,” details Mason. “And, for soldiers coming to Twentynine Palms, they have to pay their own way, out-of-pocket, from Palm Springs (International) Airport. So, we’re now working with the USO and looking at partnering with other organizations to provide car rides for the solders between the airport and the base.”

Fundraising via the “Hockey Fights Cancer” night on November 20 saw close to $28,000 in auction sales which will go to support local cancer charities and research, and the recent unveil of the team’s 50/50 Raffle on December 3 (far) surpassed Mason’s expectations; while he admits that, for the first go-round, fingers were crossed for around four-thousand dollars in sales – the night’s bounty ultimately inched toward $20,000. Coupled with the December 5 raffle subsequent, the Foundation and respective raffle winners have already split over $30-K after just a pair drawing nights.

Between jerseys and tickets: The next time seeing a signed, game-worn ‘Birds sweater in the Acrisure walkways or eyeing the digits on a raffle ticket stub – know that the number’s sum extends and impacts far beyond the ice.

“All the money going back to the community is something that has really resonated with the fans,” concludes Mason.