Pennsylvania girls celebrate grand reopening of hockey rink after spearheading renovation effort
HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) — The vision of two local girls to renovate their local hockey rink has become a reality in a very big way.
Hundreds gathered Monday afternoon for the grand opening of a brand new rink inside Community Park in Gilbertsville.
"Is this real or am I dreaming?" Natalie Van Druff, 12, said.
Natalie and her best friend, 11-year-old Lilly Walter, can't believe they're here.
"I feel excited, happy, successful," Lilly said.
The pair met playing hockey four years ago. Last fall they learned their old rink, which was worn down and unsafe, was slated to be turned into a pickleball court. So they decided to step in.
Natalie and Lilly went to a township meeting to plead their case, promising to fundraise the cost of renovations.
Marie Livelsberger, a member of the Board of Supervisors in New Hanover Township, said she noticed "the way they worked together, their camaraderie, their desire to make this rink better for the whole community."
By early spring the Philadelphia Flyers took notice and presented the girls with a check for $200,000 to completely redo the site, everything from the deck, to the penalty box and nets.
"That we could help them do substantial construction here was truly rewarding for us, " president of Flyers Charities Blair Listino said.
As the rink filled up for the very first time, Natalie and Lilly say seeing their dream become reality is the best goal they've scored yet.
"My hope was that we would be successful and getting to this position, and we got there," Lilly said.
"I didn't know that me and Lilly and everyone that helped could get to this point and make something so beautiful," Natalie said.
While this rink will serve more than 1,000 local athletes, Lilly and Natalie said they are not finished. They hope to inspire other local communities to open rinks like this and to encourage more young athletes, especially young girls, to get involved in hockey.