HUNTERSVILLE, NC (July 21, 2022) – The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) announced today that Dave Feather of the Knoxville Ice Bears has been selected as the winner of the 2021-2022 Wanda Amos Community Service Award as voted on by the league’s Board of Governors.
After a two-year hiatus due to the effects of the pandemic on the league, the award recognizes an organization, current team staff member or league alumnus for their charitable contributions within an SPHL community.
Now in his 17th season with the Ice Bears and sixth as the team’s Executive Vice President, Feather was nominated by Knoxville team president Mike Murray for his work in creating the Knoxville Ice Bears Charitable Foundation. The foundation’s mission statement is “to be the champions of all youth in our community, on and off the ice, through the power of hockey” by “funneling the excitement of professional hockey toward the needs of our community” with a focus on connecting businesses with the needs of the schools.
Through Feather’s efforts, the foundation has partnered with numerous organizations in the Knoxville community, including the Knoxville Special Olympics, Knox County Schools and multiple local youth sports programs. In addition, Feather previously served as President, Vice President and Treasurer of the Knox County Partners in Education.
“It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the member teams in the SPHL for all of the great work we are doing in Knoxville,” said Feather. “We have an incredible opportunity to utilize the Knoxville Ice Bears platform to make a positive impact on the youth of the region.”
Wanda Amos, for whom the award is named, owned the Columbus Cottonmouths for 13 seasons and is a major supporter of numerous charitable organizations, including Girls Inc. of Columbus and Phenix City, the John B. Amos Cancer Center and the Elena Diaz-Verson Amos Center for Breast Health at St. Francis Hospital.
In addition to recognition by the league, a donation will be made to a charity of the recipient’s choice in their honor.
Previous Wanda Amos Community Service Award Winners
2021-22 Dave Feather, Knoxville Ice Bears
2020-21 award not presented
2019-20 award not presented
2018-19 Quad City Storm
2017-18 Huntsville Havoc
About the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL)
Now entering its 19th season, the Southern Professional Hockey League is comprised of 11 member teams located throughout the southeastern and midwestern United States. Headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina, the mission of the SPHL is to provide a quality family-friendly entertainment product structured inside an economic model that is viable for small and mid-size markets and arenas.
