|
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
A native of Medicine Hat, AB, Reinheller, who is in his second year with the UAF Nanooks, has shown a strong commitment to his team and community wherever he's lived or played.
For the past five years, he has traveled to Mexico to help build homes for the homeless. When not on a construction site, he has spent time caring for and playing with the Mexican children. Also, for the past five years, he has volunteered his time at the Eagles' Nest Ranch summer camp for kids.
A letter, that accompanied Reinheller's nomination, read:
"My name is and I have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. I am 10 years old and in grade five. Ryan is nice to me. At camp, he carries me when I get tired. He took me to an Edmonton Oilers hockey game for a treat, and he slept beside my bed on the floor that night because I was scared without my mom there. He loves me and I love him. I want to be like Ryan when I grow up."
From 1995 to 1997, Reinheller played for the Penticton Panthers Junior A hockey team. While each player is expected to do one public appearance per month, he did one a week. This consisted of alternately going to one of the six elementary or junior high schools or going to one of the senior rest homes or going to the home of a senior to perform a task the person was incapable of doing.
On the ice for the Panthers, he was the BCJHL rookie-scoring leader in 1995-96 and the Rookie of the Year. The year before, while playing in the International Junior Hockey League, he was the Rookie of the Year, the leading scorer and received the Most Gentlemanly Player, while, in 1993-94, for the Medicine Hat Midget AAA Tigers, he was voted the Most Dedicated Player both on and off the ice.
|
