Brandon teens gift artistic talents to community hockey rink
By:
Jill Meier, Journal editor

Elise Meyers and Maya Saznov volunteered to paint the BV IceCats logo on the interior walls of the warming houses constructed recently by Brandon Valley Hockey Association volunteers. The BVHA’s first big event at the new rink is set for Dec. 9-10, the BVHA Puck-n-Pond. Jill Meier/BV Journal
It’s been said that it takes a village to raise a child. The same could be said for building a community hockey facility, too.
The Brandon Valley Hockey Association-inspired endeavor received help readying the facility for the first “drop of the puck this season.” And that help came from two Brandon teens, Elise Meyers and Maya Saznov. Meyers, a freshman at Brandon Valley High School, and Saznov, a BV junior, accepted the challenge of painting the BV IceCats logo on the interior walls of the new player warming houses.
Hockey mom Stacia Ericcson said Meyers and Saznov were the only two student artists to respond to the volunteer invitation.
“I emailed the high school and middle school art teachers as well to advertise it, and these were the amazing two that decided to share their artistic skills,” Ericcson said. “We thought it would be a good way for high school kids – because you have so much talent – to get some volunteer hours, and they usually have a different look at things. They can make it a little bit their own, but still keep the IceCats logo.”
Meyers, 15, said she wanted to tackle the project “to try something new.”
A member of the BVHS art club, Meyers said she invested 10 to 15 hours in the painting project. She even went above and beyond, brightening up a second wall with her own IceCat artwork.
“I wanted to show other people what I could do,” she said.
Saznov, 16, dedicated about 24 hours to the project.
“I wanted to get out there, do something new,” she said of her volunteer work. “And my parents encouraged me to.”
The BVHA, Ericcson said, is appreciative of the girls’ efforts.
“We are more than excited. They’re bright-colored. They did a great job with the logo and Elise was able to make her own little drawing, as well, on the side wall. I’m just so excited to see the looks on the kids’ face when they actually get to come in here and experience their new hockey stadium,” she said. “We’re right at deadline time to be up and running, and as an association, we’re just really excited to have all of our mini-mites all the way to our high school level teams skate out here this year and share it with the community.”