On Saturday August 1st, the Leap Towards a Cure Hockey Tournament and Community Festival returns to the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, MD. Games will be starting around 9 AM, with the Festival running from noon – 5 PM. 2015 marks the sixth annual year for Leap Towards A Cure, which raises money for cancer research, treatment, and education at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD.

The tournament is operated by the Andrea Henderson Memorial Fund, a volunteer-only 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization. Every cent of proceeds from the tournament will support cancer research at the Kimmel Center. Between 2010 and 2014 Leap Towards A Cure has raised almost $94,000 in donations for the Kimmel Center. 2015 will be the year we break the $100,000 mark for cumulative donations.

The fund and tournament is named in memory of Andrea “Froggy” Henderson, a former high school art teacher and varsity hockey team sponsor who lost her battle with breast cancer in April 2010, and whose death inspired the first Leap Towards A Cure tournament a few months later.

This year’s Leap Towards a Cure Tournament will consist of 43 games played over the 4-day tournament weekend, with over 30 volunteer referees and over two dozen volunteer scorekeepers and operations staff, and will feature 24 teams and upwards of 380 players competing in five divisions. The tournament includes two women’s divisions, the most they have had to date. Amazingly, 23 of our 24 teams this year are returning teams.

Because Froggy was an art teacher, LTAC always incorporates an arts-focused community festival on the Saturday of the tournament. This year, LTAC is proud to feature two hockey-based artists:

Rob Ullman, a freelance illustrator from Richmond, VA and the author of Old-Timey Hockey Tales  and yours truly, RMNB’s own Rachel L. Cohen!

I’ll be debuting some new merchandise at the event, including two new giclée prints: Holtbeast, and Cute Hockey, a couple of stickers, and a limited edition of the Capitals Sigil banner (it has a clear overprint star pattern… so sick!!!)))))) )

New Merchandise: Giclée Prints, Limited Edition Sigil and Decal Stickers

The festival also includes a silent auction, which also benefits the Memorial Fund. A plethora of items will be up for bid, including passes to several ski resorts, tasting packages to local vineyards, and a 2014-15 Team Signed Capitals Jersey!

This year is LTAC’s second year in partnership with Jailbreak Brewing Company, a Laurel-based craft brewery who is hosting a public Wednesday-evening tournament launch party which includes free hockey-themed trivia. One dollar from each beer purchased between 6 and 10 PM will go directly to the charity. And after the tournament is done on Sunday, Jailbreak will be hosting an After Party, featuring more trivia, FREE brewery tours, and a special guest or two.

So on August 1st, come on out to Laurel to watch some hockey, meet a couple of local artists, and support a great cause!