STOCKLA: Lessons Learned From Bucks for Vets

​As Friday, April 7th was fast approaching I felt myself reflecting back on how our foundation first came to be. It was March of 2015 and we were hosting our first ever event; a pizza dinner at the Jan Hus Outreach and Community Center in which we began giving out some of the clothing bought (along with others collected through donations) to veterans in need. Now, over a year later, we were back where it all started. Carrying boxes of clothing just as I had a year ago, I marched up the stairs of the Jan Hus Church and Community Center and was greeted by familiar faces. The nervousness and anxiety from our first event was replaced by only excitement for this time around we knew what was to be expected and had accomplished so much since the year before.
 
As we placed the boxes down and began laying out the clothes out on the tables I couldn’t help but think that only a year before we were a small group of wrestling fans with a desire to give back. Today those same wrestling fans returned with that same passion. The only difference was our style; for now we were adorned in our Superkick Foundation merch and had the privilege of knowing we now worked together as a team under the 501©3 tax exempt nonprofit organization status.
 
With the clothing all laid out we began setting up the pizza table. Thing began to look very similar to the year before.  A table full of clothing, a table full of pizza and soda, and a group of energetic wrestling fans awaiting the arrival of the veterans for the event.

As people began cycling in, our partners at the veterans connect event began playing two documentaries regarding veteran resources and other available services. As the movies played our superkick agents began handing out pizza and drinks.
 
As the event came to a close around 9pm our agents made sure all attendees left with new and stylish clothing from The Young Bucks Merch, Pro Wrestling Tees, and CHIKARA. While our event had ended, we remained realizing immediately that we had a surplus of pizzas left over.  Our CEO decided the best move would be for us to take the extra pizza and soda in hand and head outside by foot.
 
I felt like we walked forever… My arms ached from carrying the pizzas and dragging along the soda liters in my backpack but still we marched forth eager and unwilling to let anything go to waste. For the next hours, pizza, drinks and a couple extra hoodies in hand we marched the streets and sidewalks until every last box of pizza and bottle of soda was given away.
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I was moved by the repetition of one particularly common response, “This is all for me?” Many of those we met on the sidewalks insisted not to take too much; “I only want to take what I need, give the rest to the next person…” The altruism of those who have the least was inspiring. These people were willing to sacrifice so much as long as it meant helping the next person. Their sacrifices gave us the determination and strength to keep moving forward just as those in the ring do. Whether it be the physical sacrifices wrestlers endure or the sacrifice of those we met on the streets Friday night willing to only take what they needed in order to leave food and clothing left over for the next person- it’s these sacrifices that inspire our charity and drive us to move forward.
 
Every sacrifice, every effort- every bit of love and determination put forth by our followers and supporters, the wrestlers who inspire us, and those we met and served that night came together to form a beautiful event. Whether you sacrificed or donated your time, money, energy, or social medias (sharing our cause is always appreciated) you made a difference in not only helping this event occur but in helping it be as successful as it was.
 
Looking back at Friday night, I’m struck by one thing our CEO, Matt Harrigan, said as our event came to a close… With the surplus of pizzas on the table we looked to him-What do we do now? His message was clear: just because an event is over doesn't mean there aren't more hungry mouths out there to feed. We can't let what we've been given go to waste. The Superkick Foundation is a story built on and inspired by the sacrifices and selflessness of others and thus he began stacking the extra pizzas up, nodding for us to follow. As we walked into the night, unaware of what the next few hours might bring, Matt left us with this: “There's no end to this story as our work will always continue.”

- Amanda Stockla, Chief Communications Officer

The Superkick Foundation will be running its second event, the Superkick [fondation] Party on Tuesday, April 18th, 2017.

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