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 was donated (suggested retail price
of $19.95 each) to various VA Medical Centers. All branches of the
military and UNH student groups were 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 presented 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 Manchester, NH VA
Medical Center to meet and greet patients and delivered the first
group of hats.
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.
Operation Hat Trick Goes to Washington, D.C.
2011
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, August 2,
the University of New Hampshire brought its Operation Hat
Trick (OHT) program back to Walter Reed Medical Center (WRMC) and
Bethesda Naval Medical Center (BNMC) in Washington, D.C. for a
third annual visit where OHT hats were once again delivered to
wounded soldiers. This year American MOJO (a company owned
by 2 UNH alums that puts single mothers to work) donated fleece
blankets, a “big hit” with all who received
them.
According to the program's founder, Dot Sheehan '71, 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. In the three years
that Operation Hat Trick has been in existence we have seen it grow
to where there are now several VA Medical Centers nationwide
distributing hats to their wounded and veterans of other
wars.”
This year Sheehan was accompanied by UNH President Mark
Huddleston; Donna and Steve Hardy, parents of Nate Hardy to whom
OHT is dedicated; Amber Lilyestrom ’04, Associate Athletic
Director for Marketing & Communications; Brian White, Vice
President-University Services, Collegiate Licensing Company; Katie
Koziol, UNH representative for Collegiate Licensing Company; Tom
Carr, Northeast Passage Assistant Director for Outreach &
Athletics; Taylor Chace ‘10, USOC Paralympic Sportsman/ of
the year and Paralympic Gold medalist in the sport of sled hockey;
Valerie Schaffner, American MOJO’s Director of Business
Development.
Sheehan said, "It was another unbelievable day. The number
of wounded has increased and this year the number of multiple
amputations per soldier was staggering. With the closing of Walter
Reed so many were already being cared for at Bethesda Naval
including those with head injuries. We saw our first two New
Hampshire amputees, one of whom had a wife who graduated from UNH
in ’05. What you see and hear during one of these
visits is indescribable."
She continued, “This might have actually been the most
impactful trip to date because the injuries were so severe and our
interaction was so good. It never ceases to amaze any of us
that the dedication to country and strength of spirit of these
young men and women is so strong. They are all very special
to us and they in turn are so thankful that we continue to come
back. Remembering them seems to mean a tremendous amount to
all."
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 head wounds, scars and bandages.
"It's really a very basic concept," said Sheehan, “a concept
that has caught on and one that will go national by early
2012. The look and style of the hat has changed and
with the help of Collegiate Licensing Company over 80 colleges and
universities have signed on to become part of OHT, 40 of which have
placed orders with their retailers. A portion of all proceeds will
go to the VA General Fund to support all soldiers. Additional
partnerships are being pursued and we are very hopeful that OHT
will be huge.
Hats can be purchased online at www.wildcatstore.com. Stay
tuned for the national launch of OHT in late 2011. For more
information on Operation Hat Trick, click here.
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OPERATION HAT
TRICK NIGHT 2010
Operation Hat Trick was held on February 25, 2011. Once
again, all those wounded in battle were honored as well as Nate
Hardy, for whom the program was dedicated, was remembered.
The game began with a ceremonial puck drop done by USOC
Paralympic SportsMan of the Year and Gold Medalist Taylor
Chace. Chace visited veteran hospitals to deliver OHT hats to
wounded veterans earlier this year and is a big supporter of the
program.
This year, UNH remembered one of its own, UNH Alum Scott Milley
'09. Scott was a member of the ROTC and was killed in
Afghanistan in November 2010. Milley's parents and brother
joined Dr. Stephan Hardy and his wife Donna during the first
intermission to receive their official OHT hats and to celebrate
Scott's life.
UNH hockey players again wore signed OHT hats during
introductionsa nd threw them into the crowd afterward. All
active and former military in attendance were recognized, all four
military branches presented the colors as a tribute to all who
served.
UNH will continue to visit medical centers and donate OHT hats
to those who have suffered head wounds. As those recuperating
continue to say, "These hats made us feel almost normal
again. And we are especially thankful to be remembered for
our love of country, strength of spirit and dedication to
freedom."
UNH is planning another visit to Walter Reed and Bethesda
Medical Centers in late spring/early summer 2011. Look for
OHT to become a national program in the fall of 2011 when over 75
schools nationwide will adopt the program.
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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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
Hats are available for sale on-line at
www.unhwildcats.com, at Hayden Sports, at the UNH Bookstore, and at
Town & Campus in Durham.
For more information on Operation Hat Trick, please
contact Dot Sheehan at dot.sheehan@unh.edu
or (603) 862-4677.
