AN ICE HOCKEY PLAYER’S GOAL
JJ Morowitz
High school student, ice hockey fan and player, QL+ supporter
South Salem, New York
December 2011
“It’s the desire to help the men and women who have sacrificed so much for us that makes me speak from the heart and believe in the cause.”
When 16-year old JJ Morowitz heard about QL+ from a close family friend in April 2011, it was the connection to ice hockey that first spurred his interest in supporting the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
A self-described “avid hockey fan and player”, JJ heard about QL+’s collaboration with USA Warriors Ice Hockey, a program that provides recreational and therapeutic benefits to injured Veterans through sport. QL+ is funding three projects at the QL+ Laboratory to develop a set of prosthetic legs with improved comfort, safety and maneuverability for team members with unilateral and bilateral amputations.
“I have great respect for the QL+ initiative to help improve the lives of those injured in the line of duty,” JJ said. “It helps actual people with actual injuries overcome actual obstacles.”
JJ quickly began brainstorming how to raise funds for QL+ to “help bring the joy of hockey to our nation’s wounded heroes.” But, like the sport itself, there were a couple of ‘shutdowns’ and more than a little ‘roughing’ before he finally scored success.
“I tried many different approaches to fundraising,” JJ confessed. “At first, I thought I’d tutor to raise money; but since I’d already done that on a volunteer basis, nobody was interested in suddenly paying for the service. Then I thought I’d give ice hockey lessons, but could only get three takers. “ His most surprising ‘deflection’? “ I tried to sell granola at our town’s Memorial Day Fair, but they didn’t think my cause was ‘in keeping with the spirit of the event’!”
Fortunately, JJ persevered; and, after setting up a stand in front of local businesses over several weekends in December 2011, he raised more than $300 for QL+. “I really believe in the cause, so it wasn’t a stretch to ask people to contribute,” JJ told us. “Many people came up to me and said, ‘Thank you!’, or ‘My Dad was a Veteran, so I’m proud to see you doing this’ , or ‘It’s great to see a young person involved in a cause like this.’ That’s a great feeling.”
JJ continues to raise much-needed funds on behalf of QL+. “It’s the desire to help the men and women who have sacrificed so much for us that makes me speak from the heart and believe in the cause,” he said.
Needless to say, QL+ is truly impressed with this young man’s strength and determination – characteristics shared by Gretzky, Howe and all the other ice hockey greats. JJ Morowitz really is a star player for Team QL+!