April 4, 2023: Taking words from mother, Saint Anselm’s Rosen giving back to Washington D.C. hometown with newfound charity
A young boy, a hockey mom’s encouraging words, a love of sport, a local rink and service to the community have all been woven together over time to create an entrepreneurial vision that is born of hockey but committed to so much more in the Washington D.C. area and beyond.
Saint Anselm freshman forward Will Rosen was born and raised in the southeast section of the nation’s capital and as young boy was drawn to the sport of ice hockey. Living in “SE,” as it is known, meant lacing them up at the district’s only indoor ice facility, Ft. Dupont. The arena was built in the mid-1970s and has been largely supported and managed by a non-profit organization that provides skating and hockey opportunities to over an estimated 3,500 local youths in the D.C. area.
“It is pretty crazy to think that I am being recognized as a freshman for the HHA,” said Rosen. “Especially when the activity is such a home-grown endeavor for me and my family. I am pretty sure the very first time I was ever on skates or my first time in hockey equipment was on the ice at Ft. Dupont. It was the only place around and I as developed in the game locally either playing at Gonzaga high school for Coach Bill Slater or the INOVA Ice Dogs, that was our home rink. It was a facility that always needed support since it was run by a non-profit organization. I grew up there and I grew up with the concepts of service and giving back.
“It was words of encouragement from my mom, that became the idea for the company and a way to give back.”
Those simple words of encouragement were, “every shift is a gift.”.... (Read more)