The Hockey Diversity Alliance is adding a football element to its youth SummerFest in Toronto this weekend, with former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch serving as a special guest.
Hockey Diversity Alliance Mission
Apart from competing in a celebrity ball hockey game, Lynch will also host a football clinic at the HDA’s fourth festival on Saturday. The former Seattle Seahawks player and 2014 Super Bowl champion is no stranger to the HDA. Lynch took the ice at the alliance’s WinterFest that coincided with Toronto hosting the NHL All-Star Game two years ago.
HDA chairman Akim Aliu estimated the HDA has spent about $1.1 million annually in its grassroots mission, and has since expanded beyond the Toronto region. The alliance has launched programs in Los Angeles, New York, Montreal, Nova Scotia, and is preparing to add Calgary, Alberta, to the mix next month, Aliu said.
SummerFest stands as the major event on the HDA calendar, and features performances, carnival attractions and rides, followed by a fundraising gala in the evening. Among the notable athletes scheduled to attend are Canadian Olympic sprinter Andre De Grasse, tennis player Bianca Andreescu, former Seahawks tight end Luke Wilson and former Toronto Raptors player Serge Ibaka.
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
