LA Kings Team Up With Blue Shield of California To Empower Youth in Long Beach, CA
February 24, 2025 /3BL/ - Eighty-five third graders at Hudson Elementary School in Long Beach, CA, received a major surprise on Feb. 11, 2025, when they each were given a brand-new bicycle from AEG’s LA Kings.
The bike donation was done in collaboration with Blue Shield of California and the Bikes for Kids Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that empowers high-risk third grade children in poverty by asking the students to read Dream Big. Work Hard. Be Kind. Never Give Up!, and then write an essay about how the terms apply to themselves.
To support the bike giveaway, the LA Kings Ice Crew and staff volunteers assembled the bikes and alumni Daryl Evans, and mascot Bailey hosted a school assembly, where students were joyfully surprised to learn that every one of them would receive a bike. In addition, the students enjoyed a ball hockey activation supported by the LA Kings Hockey Development Team.
The event was part of the hockey franchises G.O.A.L.S. initiative, an umbrella program that encompasses all LA Kings and Blue Shield of California-sponsored character building and wellness activities.
“The G.O.A.L.S. program is all about equipping young people with the skills and tools they will need throughout their lives,” said Gabe Gilbard, Manager of Community Relations, LA Kings. “We’re not just promoting a healthy, active lifestyle with the bike donation, we’re also empowering these kids to dream big and believe in their own potential.”
Through their G.O.A.L.S. partnership, the LA Kings and Blue Shield of California demonstrated their commitment to community enrichment, youth empowerment, and the importance of dreaming big while working hard to achieve success. To learn more about the program, click here.
