The Patriots are kind of a big deal around here.
My kids own no less than a dozen Patriots shirts. Posters of the team are taped to their bedroom walls. Hats, gloves, backpacks, stuffed animals, hair bows, and school supplies are emblazoned with the Pats logo.
The days leading up to a Patriots Super Bowl are met with frenzied excitement. My neighbor and I send each other endless Pinterest recipes as we plan our Super Bowl Sunday feast. When the hallowed day finally arrives, we spend the morning attempting to recreate the Pinterest goodies (which sometimes results in epic Pinterest fails). Furniture is pushed aside. Pictures are taken down. And the game is projected in monstrous glory onto the wall. Our children leap around the room, clad head to toe in Patriots gear, hooting and hollering for their team. It is a day our families look forward to all year round.
The biggest reason I am a Patriots fan, though? Well, it isn’t because of what they do on the field.
Don’t get me wrong. I love to watch the games. But it’s what the Patriot’s do off the field that makes me a true fan.
The Patriots have made a huge impact on our family through charitable giving to communities around New England. My family lives in Brockton, a city where one in six people live at or below the poverty line. A great focus has been given to helping the children in my underprivileged community.
As for physically seeing it in action? The focus on children isn’t just words on paper. It isn’t grant money being mailed without a single person being seen. It is far more than that.
In 2013, Gronk donated nearly $45,000 worth of football equipment to Brockton’s struggling Pop Warner football team. On the day the donation came, so did Gronk himself. He spent the day posing with children and hand delivering helmets to the thrilled kids. Because of his donation, our program was able to continue running.
For the past few years, my children have been enthralled as Patriots players and cheerleaders have come to their classrooms to read books to students in support of Read Across America and have taken the time to pose for pictures with every child in the school. (And with this PTO mom! Harvey Langi may be on the Jets now, but his kindness to the kids that day has made me a forever fan!)
Our school also has a personal connection to the Patriots. The daughter of one of our kindergarten teachers is a Patriots cheerleader. Nicolette often substitute teaches at our school, and she embraces the excitement of the children every time she visits, answering questions to the delight of the students. During every game, my kindergartener sits glued to the television, shrieking “I know her!” any time he sees her on the screen. (Shh, he may have a bit of a crush!)
And, potentially the largest impact? The construction of a Patriots-themed playground, right in my neighborhood! Previously a space with only run-down basketball courts and a rusted slide, this playground has created a beautiful, safe place for the children in our community to play. During the summers, this playground is now used to house a summer camp for students in Brockton, which they are invited to attend free of charge. Fourth graders from my children’s school were invited to be the first to play on this gorgeous space during its grand opening, where they met former players, gave high-fives to Pat the Patriot, and reveled in the joy that this donation has brought to our youth.
Football games are fun to watch. I will always love gathering with friends and cheering on my home team. But football is about more than just watching a sports team. It brings us together as a community, in so many ways. Just ask the kids.
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