LITTLETON, Colo. — The Colorado hockey community is coming together to support a girls youth hockey team from California after the team was involved in a deadly crash on I-70.
A sprinter van carrying part of the SC Flyers, a 12uAA girls hockey team based in Santa Clarita, California, was hit by a snowplow Thursday morning while traveling to a tournament in the Littleton area.
The crash has sparked an outpouring of support from local hockey families who say the tragedy hit close to home.
"I don't know how long some of those families will have to be here to receive care, and it'll be a journey, and we want to make sure that we're there to help them," said Chris Tippett, a local hockey mom.
After talking with other hockey parents, Tippett said she knew it was time to step up and help.
"And within three hours, we had the donation link up and ready to go," she said. "It was awesome."
The donation link, organized through DAWG Nation Hockey Foundation, has pulled in more than $10,000 just one day after the tragic crash.
Jesse Sanders, chairman of DAWG Nation Hockey, told Denver7 the organization is built to help hockey families in times of need, and this crash is no different.
"There's a lot of expenses for these families, of having to fly out here, be out here, hotels, lost wages, and those sorts of things," he said. "These are people truly in need, that need someone to help."
While the SC Flyers don't call Colorado home, Tippett said they share the same ice and the same community spirit.
"It's bigger than that, bigger than a team, bigger than the game," Tippett said.
Sanders hopes the fundraising effort sends a message about the power of community support.
"I hope the message that gets shared here is that we all need some help every once in a while," Sanders said.
If you'd like to donate to help the girls and their families, click HERE.
