OT - Kaleta HITS Foundation....revisiting questions....

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Many people didn't like when I questioned the true mission and validity of the Kaleta run HITS Foundation nearly 4 years ago when a groundbreaking was announced on a youth hockey complex in Springville. At the time, the mission was advertised as helping sick and needy children, and touted Cradle Beach and Roswell on the front of their website. Burried near the bottom was a blurb about building an ice rink.

 

Here we are 4 years later and not only did they not go through with the groundbreaking, but they claimed to have multiple alternative sites ready to purchase over the years that "fell through".

 

All of a sudden, it had to be at a specific site in Hamburg, a town which already has ice, and they couldn't gain town approval. "Kaleta"...sued the town. Be it with his own funds or the Foundation's funds for lawyers....I don't know. It was shot down and nothing has been mentioned recently about any ice rink project.

 

The Foundation claimed groundbreaking on a $5.5 million project in 2011 in which they would spearhead and use the 7 figure warchest they had built up through donations and grants to help sick and needy children.

 

 

What happened? Where is the money? Who controls it?

 

 

I attempted to go to the Foundation's website, but someone didn't pay the bill and it is offline. If there is a new website out there, please inform me.

 

 

 

 

Now what led me to revisit this is the media blitz with Kaleta the past 2 days. The Sabres and their PR have an article up, have tweeted, and WGR did a feature story. It was about a poor guy who had his special needs van and scooter stolen. While the original story was aired and dozens of people offered vehicles, rides, and cash with no publicity wanted, WGR showed Kaleta come to the house of the man and had his Foundation offer...."to rent a van with accesible controls for a month" for the man while he waited for his insurance check to show up so he could get a new van. Kaleta then name dropped the rental agency who would supply the van.

 

That's a nice offer......probably $800-1200 for a monthly rental........assuming the rental agency even wanted the money after the name drop. Considering the dozens of other under the radar offerings by those that don't have a foundation with 7 figures in cash sitting around...or so we hope....I find the grandizing a bit perplexing.

 

 

Yes...yes....Kaleta does nice things for the community....a lot of athletes do. God bless him. I hope his Foundation takes care of all that cash well.

 

Here is the original thread from early 2011.

 

http://forums.sabrespace.com/topic/19523-pat-kaleta-gets-his-rink/

[That Aud Smell]

What happened? Where is the money? Who controls it?

 

Knock yourself out.

 

https://www.citizenaudit.org/271040555/

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

Knock yourself out.

 

https://www.citizena....org/271040555/

 

Thank You Kind Sir!!!

 

I really have to do some research on this......these numbers make zero sense considering the numbers thrown around for a rink. I'm afraid I will end up with more questions than answers, but thank you for the direction.

[Johnny DangerFace]

If you find anything do share! (Sincerely)

[dudacek]

Glad you're back Drane.

[That Aud Smell]

This caught my eye this morning. Cut and pasted from TBN:

 

Nobody wants a new twin rinks and multisport facility more than Hamburg Hawks, said David J. McDermott, president of Hamburg Hawks Hockey. But he said that based on a meeting with Sportstar, increased ice rental would cost the organization with 600 hockey players $80,000 more a year to rent ice. "We’ve been waiting for years and years and years for a rink,” he said. “I personally think it’s premature to give someone a contract to develop something. We don’t know where, we don’t know how, we don’t know when.”

McDermott also said someone indicated in a Facebook post that he was “in bed” with the Kaleta Group, and said that is a lie, and he would not make any money if the Kaleta group was chosen.

Back in January, the Kaleta Group, made up of professional hockey player Patrick Kaleta and his father, Tom, gave presentations to the board in executive session, along with Sportstar. At that time, the town was planning to buy property for the project. But that property, widely believed to be the former Leisureland property on Camp Road, is no longer on the table, Best said. The Kaletas were among those at Monday’s meeting.

Quinn said the Kaleta Group’s HITS Foundation is a nonprofit organization, not developers that run hockey rinks. Tom Kaleta disputed Monday that the Kaleta Group was not ready to develop, build or run the facility.