Pittsburgh Review

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation has announced the Highmark Bright Blue Futures community day will take place on Saturday, February 22. The event will celebrate the fourth season of the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Hunt Armory ice rink.

"This ice rink is a real treasure for our community, bringing families together year after year," stated Kenya T. Boswell, senior vice president of community affairs at Highmark Health. "Highmark Bright Blue Futures Community Day is an amazing celebration of this success and our longstanding partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. Together, we continue to make hockey accessible and inclusive to everyone in Pittsburgh."

The event coincides with National Try Hockey for Free Day and will offer free skating and skate rental. Attendees can also enjoy vendor booths from local groups, games, balloon artists, face painting, music, and more.

During the celebration, a grant announcement will be made by the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and Highmark Health to support Day Owl in providing backpacks to nonprofits serving children in foster care. This initiative aims to supply nearly 1,000 children in Western Pennsylvania's foster care system with bags containing comfort items like pajamas and books. Contributions from Comfort Cases in Washington DC and World Vision in Sewickley, PA have supplemented this effort.

“Oftentimes, children in the foster care system may have to move homes quickly and may not have the opportunity to collect their personal effects and essentials,” explained Yvonne J. Maher, executive director for the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. “These backpacks will provide necessities during a disruptive transitional period in their lives.”

Backpacks will be distributed through organizations such as Allegheny County Youth Services and Bethany Christian Services among others.

Leaders from both the Penguins organization and Highmark are expected to attend the event.

To participate in free skate sessions, registration is required online.

Opened in 2021, the historic Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Hunt Armory Ice Rink is noted as Pittsburgh's first indoor community ice rink in 25 years. It supports diversity programming by the Penguins alongside public skating opportunities.

Highmark continues its significant backing of these initiatives through corporate giving programs aimed at enhancing community health outcomes.