Wolves-Hawks Soccer Club helps Angela Hospice pediatric patients

More than 600 people headed out in the cold Dec. 16 for the Michigan Wolves-Hawks soccer club’s Freezing Fun Charity Run at Schoolcraft’s St. Joe’s Sports Dome. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers and sponsors, the Wolves-Hawks raised more than $12,500 for Angela Hospice’s My Nest is Best Pediatric Program, a special program for children living with a terminal illness.

“This event was whimsical and wonderful. But the most wonderful part was young people and their families who reached out with compassion and support to peers – other children and their families – going through the most challenging days of their lives,” said Bob Alexander, director of development for Angela Hospice. “It was touching and remarkable to see that kind of heart and kindness so fully expressed toward children in our pediatric hospice program.”

“My big thing was, let’s keep it local,” said Molly Midgley, a Wolverine Lake resident and parent volunteer who became involved with the Hawks when her daughter started playing five years ago. Now Midgley helps with the club’s charitable outreach efforts.

Midgley and Wolves-Hawks coaching director Doug Landefeld worked with partners from Schoolcraft College’s Fitness Center, where the Wolves and Hawks practice, to plan the 5K and chose Angela Hospice to benefit from the event.

“We wanted to donate 100 percent of the money,” Midgley said. “As we got going and we asked all these companies to donate, every one of them, every single one, said, ‘Oh, that’s so great you’re giving it to Angela Hospice. They are such a great organization.’ It was amazing.”

Trader Joe’s in Northville donated all the food for the event and Casey Cook of Running Fit helped organized the 5K, which saw more than 300 runners participate. Schoolcraft Fitness Center was another of the top sponsors for the event.

“They were instrumental,” Landefeld said. “Everybody helped to make it happen.”

This isn’t the first time the Wolves-Hawks club has shown charity to the community. Two years ago, it held a canned food drive for Hospitality House.

“We collected over 10,000 pounds of food,” Midgley said. “It was great. We fed 500 families for a month. We started doing an outreach so the kids can give back, because these kids all have so much.”

Midgley said that’s why the group chose Angela Hospice’s My Nest is Best Pediatric Program: So the Wolves-Hawks would be helping other kids who were less fortunate.

The Livonia-based Michigan Wolves-Hawks soccer club is an elite club for players under age 18. For more information, go to www.michiganwolveshawks.com. For more on Angela Hospice and the My Nest is Best Pediatric Program, go to www.AskForAngela.com .

Article published by www.hometownlife.com