Tampa Bay Lightning To Continue Community Hero Program

The Tampa Bay Lightning has elected to continue their Community Hero Program into the 2015-16 season.

Ever since Tampa Bay Lightning Chairman and Governor Jeff Vinik took control of the Lightning organization, there have been massive changes going on here in Tampa Bay that have not only transformed the Lightning into a world class organization, but has expanded the team’s outreach in the community.

One of the things that were instituted by the Tampa Bay Lightning after the beginning of Vinik’s tenure here in Tampa Bay is a program known as the Community Hero Program. If you have been to a Tampa Bay Lightning home game in the past couple seasons, there is a good chance you have seen this award presented.

At every Tampa Bay Lightning home game, the Lightning Organization recognizes a member of the Tampa Bay community who goes above and beyond the call of duty to make this a better place to live. This could come through volunteer work, outreach, someone who dedicates their lives to inspiring others, and so much more.

Once the “Community Hero” has been recognized, Jeff Vinik, along with a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning, presents the Hero with a $50,000 donation to the non-profit charity of their choice.

Thankfully, the Community Hero Program is not ready to ride off into the sunset just let. It has been announced that the Tampa Bay Lightning will continue the Community Hero Program into the 2015-16 season. This means that another 41 extraordinary members of the community will be recognized and another $2,050,000 will make its way back into the community.

This is just one of the many ways that Vinik has made an impact on the Tampa Bay community. According to the Tampa Bay Lightning website, the Community Hero Program has honored 179 Heroes, sharing their stories for the world to hear and inspire others to action.

Thanks to those special members of the community, the Lightning organization has donated to over 300 local non-profit organizations in the amount of $9,100,000 since the program’s start back in 2011.

In the grander scheme of things, this may not seem like a very big movement; however, if you were one of the many organizations that have received these donations you would see things from a much different angle.

These organizations are almost fully dependent on donations from the public and without the generosity of people like Vinik, his wife Penny, and the Community Heroes throughout the Tampa Bay area, they would be forced to stop doing the work that is so invaluable to the community.

There is a very good possibility that we may be a little biased here, but we can’t help but feel like we have one of the best owners in the National Hockey League.

If you would like more information about the Community Hero Program, how you can nominate a Hero, the deadline for submissions, or even read the stories of the Heroes who have already been honored, you can head on over to the Community Heroes section of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s official site.

What are your thoughts on the Community Hero Program? What kind of an impact do you think this program has had on the Tampa Bay community? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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