FRIENDS OF FORT DUPONT ICE ARENA INC

With a mission to provide increased opportunity, education and inspiration to the young people of Washington, DC and the surrounding area through ice skating and educational activities, the Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena (FDIA) serves over 7,000 children annually through the free KOI community skating program. Participants primarily consist of at-risk youth and teens from Southeast Washington, DC.

As the Fort Dupont Ice Arena is the only facility of its kind in the city and the only one to offer free or subsidized skating lessons to disadvantaged children, FDIA is providing students with an experience they would not otherwise have. With all equipment provided, FDIA engages children in hockey, speed skating, figure skating, synchronized skating, and Learn to Skate classes.

Open daily ten months of the year, FDIA provides the community consistent access to programs and services, keeping children focused and busy during critical out-of-school hours. KOI programs also help students achieve a more fitness-oriented lifestyle along with learning a new healthy activity.

During the 2010-2011 season:

• We served over 7,000 children in all of our KOI programs.
• We enrolled over 850 children in our weekend classes.
• We engaged 35 schools in our Schools Skate for Fitness programs, completing 121 visits.
• We welcomed 12 special needs groups.
• We hosted our first tournament – the East Coast Diversity Classic (ECDC), held March 12-13, 2011.

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