LANNON NAMED PENGUINS' 2005-06 MAN OF THE YEAR
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins are proud to announce that defenseman Ryan Lannon has been named the team's winner of the American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Northeastern Pennsylvania community during the 2005-06 season.
Ryan "adopted" a second grade class at a local elementary school and goes to spend time with the students every other Tuesday. He participates in a reading program and spends quality time with students on an individual basis. Many of the students in the class are from low-income families, and very few of them are able to attend games on a regular basis. Ryan does his best to bring the team to them and provide a positive role model for the kids.
With the team in town for the Thanksgiving holiday, Ryan also came up with a plan to work with a local United Way agency - the Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO) - to put together a full dinner for families that could not otherwise afford it. He spearheaded a food drive that raised enough money and collected enough food items to provide an entire Thanksgiving meal to more than 150 families. After the "to-go" meals were distributed to the needy families, he worked in the kitchen serving meals to people who were spending the holiday alone.
Keeping children's programs as his number one priority, Ryan has been the most active member in our team school visits, which promote health, safety and positive lifestyles. Through the Blue Cross Goals for Health Campaign, Ryan has had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of local school students on the importance of living responsibly, playing sports and leading an active and healthy lifestyle. Ryan also organized a team visit to a local hospital around the holidays to spend time with sick children who were unable to make it home for Christmas.
In recognition of his efforts, Lannon will be presented with an etched crystal trophy during an on-ice presentation prior to an upcoming Penguins home game.
Lannon is now one of 27 finalists for the AHL's 2005-06 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, honoring the overall American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award will be announced later this month.
Everybody cross their fingers!
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