Message from the Chairman
Hey all ––
I often talk about Stockade FC as a “platform” – we’re more than just a soccer team, we’re a community of people that gather to support the players, support each other, and support the larger community (this is why we call ourselves a “Football Club” btw). The Stockade FC platform allows us to showcase the best soccer talent in the Hudson Valley. Our platform allows kids to see a path to playing at a high level and allows us to host youth training camps that can help them get there. Our platform gives Hudson Valley locals and visitors an amazing match day experience, and gives local merchants, food trucks and other local businesses a chance to connect with customers. When we started the club in 2016 we created the platform –– but it’s been all of you building on top of this platform over the years who have turned our club into what it is today.
Starting this season, we’ve made the decision that we also want to use the Stockade FC platform to talk about both climate and sustainability issues, and to highlight local NY businesses who are actively trying to do the same. This will be a long term project for us and we plan to integrate more sustainable practices into running our own organization & operations, one step at a time. As a start, this season we actively sought out sponsors who could help us tell a bigger story about sustainability, and help us raise awareness of the urgency of the climate crisis and possible solutions.
My hope is to create a drumbeat of awareness about climate and sustainability issues that will become a part of the Stockade FC story and ethos, starting with this season and continuing with all the seasons to come. As our friends at Partners for Climate Action Hudson Valley said: “We do not need the next big thing. We need a whole bunch of small things”. We hope our “drumbeat of awareness” can be one of the small things. (I also want to thank our friends at Vermont Green FC for highlighting this path for us/)
So with that, let me intro you to our our 2023 sponsors:
Jersey Sponsors
Collab Fund, our new lead sponsor, is a NY-based venture fund that invests and supports companies at the intersection of for-profit & for-good. In the same way we want to use the Stockade Platform for raising awareness of climate/sustainability issues, Collab Fund is interested in using the Stockade platform as a way to showcase the innovations their portfolio companies are creating, whether it’s sustainable gear, apparel, snacks, etc. Take a look at their portfolio companies and imagine all the cool collaborations we could do together.
Cabinet Designers of Kingston is returning for their 4th year on the back of Stockade FC’s jerseys. While you may know them for their kitchen / bath / closets / tile work, you should also know that they’re prioritizing sustainability by looking for ways to recycle materials (items removed from clients homes are upcycled or donated to the Ulster Habitat ReStore in Kingston), seeking out partners with strong commitments to sustainability, low-toxicity materials and low-emission stains and paints that prioritize the environment.
Radio Woodstock / WDST is returning for their 7th year as a jersey sponsor (!!). They’re involved in a number of sustainability efforts, but one we’ve been enjoying recently is the “Climate Awareness Minute” segments airing on WDST. These 60-second segments are designed to inform people about climate facts, and inspire people with ideas on how they can help prevent, mitigate, and adapt to climate change in their own lives and communities.
Sideline Sponsors
Bread Alone is also back for a 7th season (!!). In addition to delicious breads and pastries, Bread Alone has one of the strongest commitments to sustainability we’ve seen from any company in the Hudson Valley. They’re running a carbon-neutral bakery off a giant solar array at their Kingston location and they’ve committed to sourcing 100% of their energy from renewable sources by 2030.
Solar Generation is new to our sideline sponsor lineup this year. They’re one of the leading solar installers in the Hudson Valley – locally owned and operated for more than 15 years. Solar Generation believes green energy is not only about independence and diversity – it’s about sustainability, saving money, preserving resources and future generations. Their goal is to make going solar seamless and affordable.
If you’ve ever watched a Stockade FC live stream (in English or Spanish!), you can thank the folks at Radio Kingston / WKNY. More than just a local radio station, Radio Kingston is committed to providing durability of communication for whatever the future may bring. They’re investing in physical infrastructure that can help people stay connected when the power grid is down or during climate events or other emergency situations.
Baxter, also new for 2023, is a construction and real estate development firm in Poughkeepsie, NY whose work includes commercial, hospitality, and residential projects across the Hudson Valley. Baxter is both LEED Accredited (Green Buildings) and Passive House certified with a focus on urban redevelopment and sustainable building practices. As part of their commitment to create better spaces to live, work, and play in our local communities, Baxter is proud to support Stockade FC.
The local Price Chopper / Market 32 located on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie is also joining Stockade as a 2023 sponsor. They have a strong commitment to sustainable waste management and the location in Poughkeepsie alone has donated 800 tons of viable perishable food to regional food banks and partner agencies and diverted more than 5000 tons of organic waste via anaerobic digestion.
Trailways of New York has been a part of our Stockade FC story since 2016 (7 seasons!) and is the exclusive transportation provider of the team. While we’re not traveling on giant EV Busses (yet!), bus travel has been proven to use the least amount of energy and produce the lowest carbon dioxide emissions per passenger mile of all travel modes including air, automobile, and rail transit.
Ingalsbe Law in Kingston, specializing in personal injury and real estate law, is back for their 3rd season as a Stockade FC sponsor. As a law firm, they have started integrating sustainable practices into their business, opting for electronic documents over paper, greatly reducing the amount of paper traditionally associated with the practice of law. (We love this as an example of “even small changes can have a big impact”)
Whether you’re quietly reading this at home, work, school or in transit somewhere, please stop for a minute and give our 2023 sponsors a round of applause. Also note that we’re still looking for sponsors for our 2023 Youth Soccer Camps and Development Teams (U23 and U20 Men’s teams) –– if you’re interested or know someone that is, please reach out to sponsorships@stockadefc.com. Thanks!
Dennis Crowley
Stockade FC, Chairman
