Click
here to purchase an Operation Hat Trick hat
Operation Hat Trick is a special project that was created by the
Athletics Department at the University of New Hampshire in response
to a radio segment heard in early ‘08 that reported "the
thing most wanted by those members of the military who have
received head injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan is a baseball cap to
cover their wounds, dressings and scars." 
Around the time of this radio report, Nate Hardy, a Navy SEAL
and son of a UNH professor and his wife, was killed while on a
covert mission in Iraq. As a result this project was born and
Operation Hat Trick was coined after the term in hockey when one
player on the team scores 3 goals in a single game. Operation
Hat Trick has been dedicated to Nate Hardy for his service and love
of country.
A partnership developed between UNH, all military branches, Turfer Sports, an
athletic apparel company from East Providence, Rhode Island, the
local VA Medical Center in Manchester, NH and Northeast Passage, a
UNH program for the physically challenged and a program that
services many out-patient veterans. An Operation Hat Trick logo was
created for hats bearing "UNH" on the back, Turfer supplied the
hats, and the VA Medical Center's Recreation Therapy
Department was deemed the recipient of one hat for every 2 sold.
Six local retailers including an on-line provider committed
to "adopting" the project by selling through their outlets.
Retailers included:
- UNH Bookstore
- Hayden Sports
- Friends of Men's Hockey (hats available for sale at men's
hockey games)
- Friends of Women's Hockey (hats availabel for sale at
women's hockey games)
- Sportdesigns.com (www.unhwildcats.com)
- UNH Athletics
- Town & Campus (www.collegegear.com)
Here's how Operation Hat Trick works:
For every 2 hats sold, a third will be donated (suggested retail
price of $19.95 each) to the VA Medical Center's. All branches of
the military and UNH student groups are actively involved in
promoting this project as well.
On Saturday, November 22, Operation Hat Trick was launched at
the UNH men's hockey game versus Providence. (Women's hockey had
its special presentation day on Friday, December 5th versus
Harvard.) A member from each military branch was present the
colors, groups of military men and women and their guests attended
the game and there was a special on ice presentation. Members
of the hockey team wore Operation Hat Trick hats during
introductions and then tossed each personally autographed hat into
the crowd. Three team signed hats were raffled off and proceeds
went to the VA Medical Center's Recreation Therapy program. On
December 15, members of each hockey team traveled to the VA Medical
Center to meet and greet patients and delivered the first group of
hats.
Hats are on-sale NOW at each above retail outlet and
on-line (click
here to purchase).
Since Operation Hat Trick's initial launch, more VA and other
Medical Centers have been earmarked to receive hats. They are
now in the VA Medical Center in La Jolla, California and West
Roxbury, Massachusetts. On Thursday, June 18, the University
of New Hampshire brought its Operation Hat Trick (OHT) program to
Walter Reed Medical Center (WRMC) and Bethesda Naval Medical Center
(BNMC) in Washington, D.C. where over 350 OHT hats were delivered
to wounded soldiers.
According to the program's creator, Dot Sheehan, Senior Associate
Athletic Director for External Relations, "The original purpose of
the program was to distribute hats to the wounded in VA and other
medical facilities nationwide. To date, the VA Medical Centers in
Manchester, N.H., West Roxbury, Mass., La Jolla, Calif., and now
WRMC and BNMC have hats. Since the UNH Alumni Association chapter
in Washington, D.C has adopted OHT as their community service
project, the logical place to deliver hats was at Walter Reed and
Bethesda Naval."
Sheehan was accompanied by President Mark Huddleston, Donna and
Steve Hardy, parents of Nate Hardy to whom OHT is dedicated, and
Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing & Communications
Amber Radzevich. Others joining the group included U.S. Senator
Jeanne Shaheen, U.S. Senator Judd Gregg's Military Advisor Brian
Miller, LCDR (Navy SEAL) Doug Munz, Verizon's Vice President of
Government Affairs & National Security Policy Mike Hickey,
Executive Director of the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association
Maryanne DeMarco. DeMarco is also a UNH Alumnae and Member of the
D.C. Alumni chapter.
"Thanks to Verizon, BAE Systems, and The Aspire Group led by Bernie
Mullin, we were able to purchase hats for this delivery," said
Sheehan. "It was an unbelievable day. We visited amputees and head
injured patients alike and saw firsthand the dedication to country
and strength of spirit of these young men. We also experienced
incredible caring, respect, and dignity shown to all patients by
both staffs. It was incredible what compassion was shown to all;
they are clearly in very good hands as they work hard to get well,"
reported Sheehan.
"It's amazing what a simple baseball cap can do for an injured
soldier. There is return to some sense of normalcy and a piece of
American culture given back to these patients," said Sheehan. "We
understand a group of patients liked the hats so much they wore
them to a Nationals baseball game on Friday night-that's the
ultimate compliment."
OHT was created by Sheehan after she heard a report about wounded
soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan wanting a baseball cap
to cover their wounds, scars and bandages. "It's really a very
basic concept," said Sheehan. "We're hoping that other universities
along with NHL teams will adopt OHT. Their reward will be a genuine
appreciation of those who have valiantly fought for our
freedom."
Hats are available for sale on-line at www.unhwildcats.com, at
Hayden Sports, at the UNH Bookstore, and at Town & Campus in
Durham.
The following stories were published in the UNH
Magazine about Operation Hat Trick and the Hardy
family:
"A Symbol
of Goodwill" by Sue Hertz, '78
"Lessons from
Loss" by Sue Hertz, '78
For more information on Operation Hat Trick, please
contact Dot Sheehan at dot.sheehan@unh.edu
or (603) 862-4677.
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OPERATION HAT
TRICK NIGHT 2010
The second annual Operation Hat Trick Night at the Whit was
celebrated on Friday, Feb. 12, 2010 when UNH took on Providence
College. A team signed hat raffle was held, the proceeds of
which were donated to the Manchester, NH VA Medical Center's
Recreation Therapy program.
There was a special color guard comprised of all military
branches that honored those who have served their country so
valiantly. Players once again wore OHT hats during
introductions and then tossed them into the crowd.
Care package items were collected at the game. Some will
be kept for military arriving during a stop-over at Pease and some
will be sent to those serving overseas. A second visit to
Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Medical Center is planned for the
spring.
Hats are available for purchase at www.unhwildcats.com,
Hayden Sports, the UNH Bookstore, Town & Campus, and at Friends
of Hockey merchandise booths during all UNH hockey games.
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Photos from February 12, 2010 Operation Hat Trick at
men's hockey game versus Providence College:
Photos from November 22, 2009 Operation Hat Trick launch
at men's hockey game versus Providence College:
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| Members of the five military branches and UNH Army
ROTC present the colors.
| UNH Men's Hockey player Jamie Fritsch tosses a
signed Operation Hat Trick hat to the crowd.
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| UNH President Mark Huddleston presents a hat to
UNH professor and parents of Nate Hardy, Steve and Donna
Hardy.
| UNH President Mark Huddleston presents a hat to
Walter Farrington, member of the board for Paralyzed Veterans of
America.
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