Thirty staff members from all across Canada and the United States will descend upon the Stowehof Inn in Stowe, Vermont on Sunday, September 12 for the start of the 2010 Hockey Ministries International Annual Staff Conference. The Stowehof Inn, located in the Green Mountains of Vermont near Mount Mansfield, will host the HMI Annual Staff Conference for a third consecutive year. The quite inn in the quaint town of Stowe offers a perfect backdrop for the HMI staff to accomplish its goals for the conference.

HMI President, Don Liesemer Sr., will lead the conference, which will feature corporate sessions, times of corporate prayer, workshops, training, testimonies, small group sessions, fellowship, and a time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Stowe. "This important, three-day annual event is the most strategic time for HMI's ministry," states Liesemer.

The 2010 staff conference will be based on the ministry's mission / vision statement which states:  "Reaching the world of hockey, every team, every player, every family, every fan, everywhere with the message of hope found in Jesus Christ."  The conference will prove to be informative, inspiring, encouraging and enjoyable for all staff members.

Three new Hockey Ministries International staff members will be attending their first-ever staff conference. They include Shawn Paul from Brampton, Ontario, Chuck Jacobson from Saginaw, Michigan and Marc Porpilia from Rochester, New York.

Each staff member will have a role to play at the conference, with some sharing a ministry highlight, while others will lead a prayer or serve as a small group facilitator. When the conference is over on Wednesday, September 15, the goal will be that each person leaves refreshed, challenged, encouraged and excited about the coming hockey season ministry in their respective regions.

Please pray that the Lord will allow this important time to be used effectively so that HMI can be used by HIM in the coming year to win the hockey world to Christ!  

The 2010 Hockey Ministries International / Christian Hockey Camps International summer season is now complete, and what a camp season it was. Approximately 1800 boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 17 attended 32 weeks of HMI camps in six different countries including Canada, the United States, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.  The 2010 HMI camp season capped off 34 consecutive years of ministry to youth hockey players, which began with the very first camp in 1977 in Montreal.

MIKE RUPP OF THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS GIVES A "THUMBS UP" TO THE PITTSBURGH CAMPERS AFTER SHARING HIS PERSONAL TESTIMONY

Two first-time camps in Williams Lake, British Columbia and Coral Springs, Florida highlighted the 2010 camp season. Former National Hockey League star Laurie Boschman and NHL Assistant Coach and former star Ryan Walter headed up the on-ice staff in Williams Lake. Young gun and up and coming forward David Booth of the NHL's Florida Panthers led the on-ice pro staff at Coral Springs, Florida camp.

Other well-known current and former professional hockey players and coaches dotted the lineups of the HMI camp on-ice pro staffs. They included current pro players Mike Rupp of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins, Eric Fehr of the NHL's Washington Capitals, Stacey Bauman of the Central Hockey League's Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees, Kurt Sauer of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, Darcy Hordichuk of the Vancouver Canucks, Noah Welch of the Atlanta Thrashers, and Chad LaRose of the Carolina Hurricanes.

FORMER AHL AND ECHL AND CURRENT EUROPEAN PRO PLAYER JASON BECKETT PREPARES THE CAMPERS FOR AN ON-ICE DRILL.

Former NHL players who participated in HMI camps included Glen Wesley of the Carolina Hurricanes / Boston Bruins, Jean Pronovost of the Pittsburgh Penguins / Atlanta Flames, Glenn "Chico" Resch of the New York Islanders / New Jersey Devils, Alex Pirus of the Minnesota North Stars / Detroit Red Wings, Mark Osborne of the Toronto Maple Leafs / New York Rangers, John Vanbiesbrouck of the New York Rangers / Florida Panthers, Bill Butters of the Minnesota North Stars, and Terry Ruskowski of the Chicago Blackhawks / Pittsburgh Penguins.

FORMER CAROLINA HURRICANES PLAYER GLEN WESLEY GIVES THE RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA CAMPERS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING GOD FIRST

 HMI camps vary in attendance. The HMI camp in Texas welcomed 135 campers while the Pittsburgh camp had 118 participants. Other HMI camps were smaller in numbers, but there were numerous things that were constant with all the camps this summer. Expert hockey instruction was featured, facilities were clean and comfortable, the food was great, and there were lots of fun activities!  Most important however, the Gospel message was clearly shared and Christians were encouraged! 

ARRANGED BY DAVID BOOTH, THE HMI FLORIDA CAMPERS WERE TREATED TO A PERSONALTOUR OF THE PANTHERS HOME ICE, THE BANK ATLANTIC CENTER IN SUNRISE, FLORIDA

To all those who participated in camps, volunteered at camps, helped sponsor campers, and prayed for the young boys and girls at the camps, all of us at HMI thank you so much for your service.  Preparations are already underway for the 2011 camps, where Lord-Willing close to 2,000 boys and girls will once again participate.

The Hockey Ministries International 2010 Camp season kicked off this past Sunday June 6 with the first Christian Hockey Camps International Camp in St. Louis, Missouri. HMI will stage 32 weeks of camps this summer in six different countries, including Canada, the United States, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Sweden and Slovakia.

Former professional hockey player Charlie Blyth is the Camp Director of the St. Louis camp, and on Sunday welcomed over 50 campers to the host site on the campus of Webster University . Blyth, a native of Montreal, Quebec and a former player with the United Hockey League's / International Hockey League's Missouri River Otters, will help lead an excellent group of solid on-ice instructors, as well as a caring and loving local camp staff.

"The camp is underway and we've had a great start." said Blyth. "We have this year perhaps one of the most incredible group of on-ice pro instructors that we've ever had at an HMI camp in St. Louis."

Heading the on-ice group is former National Hockey League defenseman, Rob Ramage.  The former St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens defenseman, is a two-time Stanley Cup winner, and one of the most popular players to ever don a Blues' jersey.

Also instructing at the St.Louis camp is former Minnesota North Stars and University of Minnesota defenseman, Bll Butters. The University of Wisconsin Badgers just signed on Butters as an Assistant Coach for the 2010-2011 season. Long-time Central Hockey League veteran Stacey Bauman, a regular at the HMI St. Louis camp for many years, is also on the on-ice staff, as well as Wisconsin Badgers Blake Geoffrion and John Ramage. 

"We're into the third day of camp here on Tuesday." said Blyth. "The pros are starting to share their testimonies during our evening chapels, and I am really looking forward to seeing what the Lord is going to do here this week."

Geared for boys and girls of all skill levels, age 9-17, Christian Hockey Camps International provides a world-class, on-ice program which is directed and overseen by a caring staff in a fun and high energy atmosphere. Each camp provides an engaging and well organized regimen, designed to challenge kids in body, mind and spirit with a solid Christian message. HMI camps also feature great food and great fun, and each camper receives a free, special CHCI jersey! 

Next up on HMI's 2010 camp schedule will be camps in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Chiacgo, Illinois and Soldotna, Alaska the week of June 20. Registrations remain open for all upcoming HMI camps.  CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE REGISTRATION INFORMATION.  To view photos from last year's CHCI St. Louis camp, CLICK HERE.

Former National Hockey League star Jean Pronovost, launched his 14-year NHL career in the city of Pittsburgh. In his rookie year in 1968, the building was known as the Civic Arena.  It opened in 1961 and in 1999 its name was changed to Mellon Arena. Since 1967 this edifice has been the home of the Penguins. For the last several years Mellon Arena has been the oldest building in the NHL. 

JEAN PRONOVOST (#19) AND DAVE BURROWS (#4) STAND WITH 48 OTHER FORMER PENGUINS PLAYERS WHO WERE BROUGHT BACK FOR THE LAST REGULAR SEASON GAME AT MELLON ARENA

After 49 years, the building hosted its last hockey game on Wednesday, May 12 when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Penguins 5-2 to oust Pittsburgh from the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Penguins will move into the brand new Consol Energy Center for the 2010-11 season.

Fifty former Pittsburgh Penguins' greats were invited to attend the team's final regular-season home game on Thursday, April 8 against the New York Islanders. Several former Penguins players have been involved with HMI for many years. In addition to Pronovost they include Dean Prentice, Dave Burrows, Paul Baxter, Michel Dion and Marc Chorney. Pronovost and Burrows were invited to attend the historic night.

Pronovost, a former Hockey Ministries International staff member and current volunteer, commented about the memories of the Civic Arena and his time with the Penguins. "We worked hard and wanted to be successful,” Pronovost said. “We wanted to make Pittsburgh proud. We did our best, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. We had competition. I remember at that time Pittsburgh was called ‘City of Champions … Except the Penguins.’ But that’s changed now, so that goes in cycles.”

Pronovost remembers the "hard to swallow" playoff series in 1975 when Pittsburgh was up three games to none against the New York Islanders. The Penguins lost the next four straight games, to become at that time only the second team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 series lead.  

“Especially that series against the Islanders, we made some mistakes,” Pronovost said. “We should have put the nail in the coffin and we did not. We allowed them to come back and win it on a cheap goal in the seventh game. It hit Ed Westfall in the chest and fell into the net. But that’s hockey.”

JEAN PRONOVOST IN A GAME AT THE CIVIC ARENA AGAINST THE BOSTON BRUINS WHEN PITTSBURGH WORE BLUE JERSEYS

HMI staff member, Tim Donelli, also remembers the many great Penguins' players who played at the long-time arena that also went by the nickname of "The Igloo."  Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Donelli recalls how he first got involved in hockey. "I remember there was a "Stick Night" promotion in January of 1969 with the Penguins, where all kids 16 years of age and under got a free hockey stick. I begged my dad to take me to my first hockey game so I could get that stick. I fell in love with the game and the Penguins that night, even though Pittsburgh lost to the Oakland Seals 4-3."

Donelli came in contact with Hockey Ministries International in 1982 while a hockey broadcaster with the Baltimore Skipjacks, and became a full-time staff member in 1999. "Those early years of going to Penguins' games I would see players like Jean Pronovost, Dean Prentice, Davey Burrows and Michel Dion. I was not even a Christian then. Little did I know that years later those players and I would come to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, and we would work together in Hockey Ministries International. God certainly wove an unusual web to get us together later in life."

So the curtain has closed on the Civic / Mellon Arena, leaving behind many wonderful memories for former players like Prentice, Pronovost, Burrows, Dion, Baxter and Chorney. And of course there's the 16-year old kid (Donelli) who in 1969 when he didn't even realize it, was being prepared by God for future service with HMI.  The Lord does truly work in mysterious ways.

NOTE:  Speaking of Pittsburgh, Hockey Ministries International will hold one of its' 32 weeks of Christian Hockey Camps International youth camps in the Steel City tihs summer. The camp runs from Sunday, July 11 through Friday, July 16. Current Pittsburgh Penguins player Mike Rupp will be one of the featured on-ice instructors at the Pittsburgh camp. For more information on the HMI PIttsburgh camp, CLICK HERE.  You may also send questions and inquries to the Pittsburgh camp e-mail address at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .