SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Springfield Thunderbirds received more recognition from the American Hockey League on Thursday night during the Awards Gala at the Board of Governors' Annual Meeting at Hilton Head Island, S.C. 

The franchise was presented with the Eastern Conference Award of Excellence for Community Service following a record-setting year in the community. During the 2023-24 season, the Thunderbirds raised more than $128,000 for local charities, while players and mascot Boomer combined to make over 300 visits in the area for various charitable causes.

"Being ingrained in the community has been among the top priorities for our franchise since the day we were established," said Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa. "We take immense pride in this award and are honored to be recognized by our peers, but ultimately, we want to continue to do right by the wonderful Springfield community in any way we can. As with everything else in our business, we want to raise the bar even higher."

A number of the Thunderbirds' marquee game nights in 2023-24 had distinct tie-ins to the community, from the annual Pink in the Rink to benefit the Rays of Hope Foundation to the return of the annual Sensory-Friendly Sunday game in conjunction with the Center for Human Development (CHD). The organization is currently planning the 2023-24 promotional schedule, which will feature many returning events to benefit the local community around Springfield. A complete list of such promotions will be available later this summer.

Fans can reserve seats for Thunderbirds’ hockey action in the 2024-25 season with a ticket membership by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.