Jack Kelly and family with Dawg Bowl trophy

Motive &
Foundational Five

Honoring a lost friend by helping our hockey community.

In February of 2009, not one, not two but three DAWG players were diagnosed with cancer. Looking for a way to help our teammates, this is when the now famous DAWG’s “passing of the hat” began.  Later in that same year another DAWG, Jack Kelly, was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease that took his life on April 7, 2010. After Jack’s passing, the idea of DAWG Nation Hockey Foundation was born. Already having the propensity for helping those in need, it was a natural fit to honor a teammate and friend by helping those in need.