Ilitch Charities for Children Awards $10,000 in Scholarships to Local Little Caesars AAA Hockey Players
DETROIT, July 27 /PRNewswire/ — Ilitch Charities for Children (ICC), a non-profit, charitable foundation established by the Ilitch family in 2000 to support children’s causes in the areas of health, education and recreation, today announced the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Scholarship winners for 2007. Emily Nelson of Harper Woods, this year’s female recipient, will receive a $5,000 scholarship to the college or university of her choice. Twin brothers Nathan and Nicholas Taurence of Trenton are this year’s male recipients. Each will receive a scholarship of $2,500. The students received their scholarships at a luncheon July 26 at Hockeytown Cafe, where current Detroit Red Wings player Kirk Maltby, Assistant General Manager Jim Nill and Vice President Steve Yzerman were in attendance with other guests and dignitaries.
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“We are pleased to honor these outstanding students and hockey players,” said Christopher Ilitch, chairman of ICC and president & CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. in presenting the awards. “Emily, Nathan and Nicholas hold themselves to the highest standards, both academically and athletically. They truly exemplify the qualities the Little Caesars Hockey Program is built upon — dedication, teamwork and pride.”
Nelson will attend the University of Michigan this fall to pursue a major in biomedical engineering. She plans to play club hockey at the university. Nelson graduated from Grosse Pointe North High School with a 4.0+ GPA. She played one season with the Little Caesars AAA hockey program, and played with various other teams for four years. Active in her community, Nelson is involved in the annual AIDS walk and WILLOW, a mentoring program for girls. She serves as a math tutor and volunteers at St. John Hospital.
Nicholas and Nathan will play junior hockey for the Bismark Bobcats this fall while taking college courses. The brothers graduated from Trenton High School, each with an impressive 3.6 GPA. They worked as power-skating instructors for “Can’t Skate, Can’t Play” and were active in community activities including Meals on Wheels, Skating with the Blind and Interact Club, a service organization at Trenton High School. Nicholas and Nathan each played two seasons with the Little Caesars AAA program.
The hockey scholarship, funded by Ilitch Charities for Children, honors outstanding high school male (Little Caesars Midget Major) and female (Little Caesars Girls 19 and under) athletes and provides them with a scholarship toward the college or university of their choice. To qualify, students are required to maintain a 3.0 grade point average or above, be a current member of the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club and plan to attend a college or university in the next two years.
Mike and Marian Ilitch, owners of the Little Caesars pizza chain and the Detroit Red Wings, among other business interests, have been sponsoring amateur hockey teams since 1964. The AAA program continues to be recognized as the premier AAA hockey program in Michigan and a benchmark for excellence across the country. Currently 30 alumni of the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club are playing, or have played, in the National Hockey League. Hundreds of other players have established careers in collegiate hockey or other professional leagues.
About Ilitch Charities for Children
The mission of Ilitch Charities for Children (ICC) is to improve the lives of children in the areas of health, education and recreation. A non-profit foundation, ICC assists a variety of groups throughout Michigan and metropolitan Detroit each year. ICC grants have recently been awarded to COTS (Coalition on Temporary Shelter) to build an infant care center, Mosaic Youth Theatre, Math Corps at Wayne State University, Special Olympics of Michigan, Bridging Communities, Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, MI-COPS (Michigan Concerns of Police Survivors), the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and Junior Achievement Finance Park in Detroit. ICC also has established an annual scholarship program for the Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League.
