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The association is home to kids from the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose school dis- trict, along with kids from the community of A nnandale. "It was really great having Annandale kids come skate with us," Gawtry said. "Two years ago we took in Annandale, which used to be part of the Monticello Moose association. Now they're a part of ours. Everyone has welcomed them with open arms. The parents I've spoken to have felt welcome in our asso- ciation and their kids love being here." GROWING GIRLS HOCKEY Since 2013, Buffalo has witnessed a steady increase in its registration numbers, thanks in part to its One Goal program. The five-week program is designed for new skaters. It's a chance for them to learn and experience the game of hockey in a positive environment without much of the upfront expense of purchasing equipment. "Our coaches from top Bantam teams and all the way down to our initiation level, they're all out there helping the kids," Gawtry said. In mid- October, the association also host- ed its Girls Hockey Day event, which drew nearly 100 eager skaters. On brand with the Bison culture, the event included on- and off-ice activities, along with music, food, games and crafts. "With the Girls Hockey Day, it's probably one of their favorite things every year and they look forward to it," Gawtry said. "It's a great place where they can bring friends who maybe don't skate to come out and try hockey." It's proven to be a huge success in not only introducing kids to the game of hockey, but also growing the game for girls. This season, the Bison have three 8U girls' teams, three 10U girls' teams and two 12U girls' teams. "Our girls program is definitely something we're really proud of out in Buffalo," Gawtry said. "We're continuing to grow our girls pro- gram and we're adding girls teams. VOLUNTEER SUPPORT The kids aren't the only ones having all the fun and growing the association. Each September, the Buffalo Youth Hockey Association holds an "Ice In" party to kick off the hockey season. "It's an adult-only fundraiser for us where we have a bean bag tournament, silent auc- tion, music and food," Gawtry said. "From the event, 100 percent of the proceeds go to support our financial aid and our scholar- ship program." The support is what fuels the association, along with help from volunteers and dona- tions from local businesses. "We rely heavily on our volunteers," Gawtry said. "They put in hundreds of hours to make the hockey experience better, and we couldn't run it without them. In addition to the families that volunteer, we also get support from the community, whether it's through donations, or helping out with dif- ferent events we have." GIVING BACK The association also places a strong empha- sis on off-ice development. In an effort to encourage positive behavior and promote sportsmanship, the Bison start- ed a T.E.A.M. program, which stands for: Together Everyone Achieves More. "With this program, we do fun events throughout the hockey season," Gawtry said. "The youth is our future, and we've put a lot of emphasis on the younger programs we have." From coloring Valentine's Day cards for local senior citizens to putting together care packages for local men and women who are serving overseas—the program is an excel- lent way for kids to give back. "It's a great program we added just to help the kids at the younger levels," Gawtry said. "We work on an effort to encourage positive behavior, because we feel that if we teach these kids things such as sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork, respect and kindness at a younger level, they're going to be better skaters." D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 9 | M H J ON L I N E . C O M 13 "Our girls program is definitely something we're really proud of out in Buffalo. We're continuing to grow our girls program and we're adding girls teams." –Lena Gawtry Nearly 100 skaters showed up for Girls Hockey Day in Buffalo this October.