The South Carolina Stingrays announced that forward Jack Adams has been selected as the recipient of the 2023-24 ECHL Community Service Award. This is the second year in a row that a Stingrays player has earned this recognition. Last season, the award went to Chaz Reddekopp. This marks the first time in ECHL history that a player from the same team has been selected for the award in back-to-back seasons.
Each ECHL team was given the opportunity to nominate a player for their efforts in supporting community and charitable causes during the 2024-25 season. The nominations were voted on by League Office personnel.
Adams dedicated over 32 hours to various community initiatives in Charleston during the season.
"We’re so excited to have won this prestigious award again for the second season in a row," said Stingrays Community Relations Coordinator Olivia Harrison. "It has been a pleasure working with Jack throughout the season and seeing the positive impact he’s had on our community. He embodies the values we hold close, setting an unparalleled standard for community engagement among our players."
At the start of the season, Adams expressed interest in working with first responders and wanted to assist with executing the Stingrays' First Responders night on March 30. The team partnered with ServiceMaster, the night's sponsor, to drop off essentials at local fire stations.
Adams and teammate Austin Magera spent a day with the North Charleston Fire Department Station 5 and the Saint Andrews Fire Department and tried a variety of tasks that firefighters face while on the job.
"It was an honor and a privilege to spend the day with the North Charleston and West Ashley fire departments. I was taken aback by the quality of the people and how hard they work on a daily basis," said Adams. "We're all so lucky to have heroes like them protect us day in and day out, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with them soon."
Another notable aspect of Adams' community engagement was his frequent visits to the local children's hospital. His genuine connection with the children, evident in the joy he brought through simple activities like air hockey games and Connect Four, showed his sincere desire to make a positive impact. Adams went above and beyond by extending invitations to some of the children to attend Stingrays games, further enriching their experiences throughout the season.
Adams also entered the season with an established nonprofit affiliation through his family. Following a tragic event in 2018, where Adams lost his older brother, Mark "Roo" Adams, to a heart attack, his family founded the Mark Roo Adams Foundation in his memory. This foundation honors Roo's legacy and focuses on charitable endeavors close to his heart. Specifically, the foundation organizes an annual golf tournament to raise funds for causes such as supporting children in foster care, aiding animal rescue efforts, and awarding an annual scholarship to a Providence College student who exemplifies Roo's values and character traits.
On March 2, the Stingrays donated $1,000 to the Mark Roo Adams Foundation as a part of the team's Community Assist of the Game initiative, where Stingrays' principal owner, Todd Halloran, donates $1,000 to a deserving nonprofit organization at each home game.
The Stingrays are back in action tonight when they take on the Florida Everblades at 7:30 pm at Hertz Arena.
