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A terrible accident…

Dennis Borland is a “my glass is full” kind of guy and hockey is what he drinks from that glass. At the age of 30, Dennis began playing hockey as a goalie. Dennis played on multiple hockey teams and would spend hours at the rink. When he got married, wife Jenn said, “You can only pay for 1 team but play all the free hockey you can find”. After 19 years, hockey is part of the sauce that binds the family together. Dennis is a hardworking man who is a shipping manager for Fort Collins Wholesale Nursery. He is moving plants and trees all day long but is never too tired for hockey. Dennis taught his three sons, Alex (21, Collegiate Goalie) Demetri (16, Defenseman) Navarre (14, Defenseman) the love of the game, how to be a sportsman when you win and how to hold your head high when you lose. His son Alex recalls, “Dad taught us to give 100% for practice or the game, no matter the score and to always try your hardest”. Dennis loved to volunteer to put his pads on when a goalie couldn’t make practice, be the penalty box parent, take photos of the games, car pool, room share; whatever was needed to help.

Dennis has been the rock of the family letting everyone know every day, you look forward, not behind you. You can’t change what happened. His wife Jenn had brain surgery and a neck surgery gone wrong 3 years ago. The family had just begun to recover to some degree of normalcy when Dennis was t-boned by a vehicle on his way home from his standing Saturday morning hockey game. His wife Jenn was able to see him as he rolled to the operating room. They exchanged I love you and he said, “Make sure you call Bike and let him know I can’t play tomorrow”. No surprise to anyone his last thoughts were to make sure the standing Sunday team wasn’t short a net minder.

Dennis had serious injuries from the accident resulting in a below the knee amputation. As a hockey player, Dennis’ goal is to get back on the ice and play as a goalie. Dennis is always positive, will answer any question you have and more than anything honest. “Pain is constant, but I am getting through it”. He misses watching the game from the penalty box and shooting photos. Dennis is continuing to move through every hurdle like a champ. He has not been able to work since the day of the accident.

The hockey family is strong and shows their love and friendship from the families the kids play with over the years to the men and women Dennis plays with by giving a helpful hand.

Dawg Nation will match your donations three to one.
Let’s help this family in need.

Dawg Nation will collect all funds donated and determine the final amount provided to the recipient. Dawg Nation cannot guarantee that the full amount of your donation will reach the recipient. That said, Dawg Nation has historically provided final amounts to recipients in excess of the total amount of funds collected.

He’s the Cap.

Tony Huss is the leader of the Tuesday night hockey gang known as The Loons. It’s a traditional gathering of hockey boys and beer, packed with a variety of talent and characters, generally stocked by Tony in the way a pond is stocked with fish. You dump them out and let them swim. Some find their glory, others end up on the wrong line.

It started at the lake in Evergreen a long way back in the 90s. Tony and a few other lake legends played pond hockey for a while, then took The Loons to league hockey. The team bore the name of a Minnesota bird known for its lonesome call. Tony’s a Minnesota guy from a huge family with a jillion siblings. A great athlete, he grew up playing not only hockey, but football. He could throw the long ball as a QB in high school.

His move to Colorado and his life with his beautiful wife Dore led to two outstanding sons Luke and Cal and an excellent reputation as a general contractor. Much of the finest work in Evergreen has Tony’s mark on it.

The Loons eventually found playing their own game was less disputatious than league hockey and bought ice at Foothills Ice Arena somewhere around 14 years ago. Guys have come and gone. Only a few of the original six are around; but if you get into Huss’ skate on Tuesdays, you’ve arrived in the game’s sweet spot. Hockey is first, humor a close second, beer and even barbecues post-game third and arguments short-lived. That’s Tony style.

This year though, has brought trouble.

Docs discovered cancer when they tried to rid Tony of a kidney stone. He had to wait for an operation to deal with it, a time that had to be hard. The guys worried and felt a bit rudderless without Tony to captain things.

Tony is a rather tough guy and this cancer chose a man with a lot of love from his family and friends. The doctors pulled out a hockey puck sized tumor. Tony and Dore are watching the numbers in his tests and believe it hasn’t metastasized beyond what the docs yanked out. We’re with them.

You’ll never find a more true hockey friend with better humor and humility. He has said don’t make a fuss about the cancer. But Tony works for himself and there’s been a lot of down time. When word came of Dawg Nation stepping in to help, we thought it was great. “He’s not going to like it,” said one of the guys.

We kind of figured that. But Tony, we all owe you a heck of a lot more.

Dawg Nation will collect all funds donated and determine the final amount provided to the recipient. Dawg Nation cannot guarantee that the full amount of your donation will reach the recipient. That said, Dawg Nation has historically provided final amounts to recipients in excess of the total amount of funds collected.

The Albert family needs some help!

Tom “Zamboni” Albert is a Boulder firefighter and used to play with the Boulder FF in numerous FD/PD tourneys and out of Foothills with several FD and PD players. In 2016 he suffered a work-related accident which requires surgery. In December 2018, his wife Michelle suffered an asthma-induced heart attack during which her brain was deprived of oxygen. As a result, Michelle has had significant motor skills impairment although her mind is intact.

Tom and Michelle have two sons, one is attending the University of Colorado and the other is a sophomore at Green Mountain High School (where Michelle graduated).

Due to these two events, the Albert family needs help with home health care and supplies and general support. The Alberts are a great, loving family.

Dawg Nation will collect all funds donated and determine the final amount provided to the recipient. Dawg Nation cannot guarantee that the full amount of your donation will reach the recipient. That said, Dawg Nation has historically provided final amounts to recipients in excess of the total amount of funds collected.

Dawg Nation will collect all funds donated and determine the final amount provided to the recipient. Dawg Nation cannot guarantee that the full amount of your donation will reach the recipient. That said, Dawg Nation has historically provided final amounts to recipients in excess of the total amount of funds collected.

A new baby’s health problems…

As a member of the 82nd Airborne, Justin Kresh gave five years of his life and much more to his beloved country. After the completion of Justin’s service, this young family welcomed a second son named Talon. Talon entered the world with some serious health complications that nearly ended his life. Thanks to some amazing doctors and a loving family, Talon is thriving and happy!

Although Talon is doing very well, medical bills and expenses have put quite a bit of stress on this young family’s finances.

Please help us help the Kresh family in their time of need. 

Dawg Nation will be matching $2 for every $1 on the first $2,500 donated via this link.

Dawg Nation will collect all funds donated and determine the final amount provided to the recipient. Dawg Nation cannot guarantee that the full amount of your donation will reach the recipient. That said, Dawg Nation has historically provided final amounts to recipients in excess of the total amount of funds collected.