Henrik Lundqvist’ belief “in the incredible power of young people to make a difference in the world” was never more evident then on Sunday, November 5th when the 8th class of the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation Young Ambassadors (HLFYA) gathered at 2 Penn Plaza to share their individual experiences with the Foundation and their impact on their local, national and global communities.
The day began with reflection from HLFYA Alumni as well as discussions with professionals involved from the Madison Square Garden Company and the Garden of Dreams Foundation. The insight gained from both presentations was incredibly inspiring for all attendees.
The Young Ambassadors then shared a visual presentation of their Independent Service Project, service hours, community presentation, and their overall experience witnessing a new found impact they made on their respective community to all those in attendance. After nearly a year of collaboration, all 14 Young Ambassadors have grown and learned so many valuable lessons on the impact they can have, beginning with their own community and are incredibly thankful for the leadership of HLF for their support in making this opportunity possible.
After the fascinating stories of all inspiring Young Ambassadors involved were shared, Henrik Lundqvist discussed and emphasized the importance of hard work. They also had the opportunity to ask questions to Henrik himself and gather insight into the King’s dedication and commitment on and off the ice. Afterwards, Henrik Lundqvist shared undivided attention with each Ambassador that they will remember forever.
To wrap up an incredible experience with their peers, Young Ambassadors and Alumni were granted the once in a lifetime opportunity of a tour of the world’s most famous arena. Together, they witnessed all of the magical work done behind the scenes by the Madison Square Garden staff to balance hockey, basketball, and all concerts performed there, especially the jaw dropping one being executed by Pink later that evening. The send off was bittersweet as the experience as a Young Ambassador had come to an end but a new chapter of going out into their communities and inspiring the incoming class of Young Ambassador is only beginning.
