Matt Hendricks, Crystal Boudreau, John Marshall and Capitals Fans Prepare D.C.’s Thurgood Marshall Elementary for the School Year
Group volunteered as part of D.C. Public School Beautification Day
Monday, 08.22.2011 / 10:28 AM
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ARLINGTON, Va. – Washington Capitals forward Matt Hendricks, head coach Bruce Boudreau’s wife Crystal, mascot Slapshot, John Marshall and more than 125 Capitals fans volunteered their time on Saturday, Aug. 20, at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Washington, D.C., as part of the D.C. Public Schools’ (DCPS) annual Beautification Day. This was the third-straight year the Capitals have partnered with Serve DC – The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism to participate in DCPS Beautification Day. Marshall, son of the school’s namesake Thurgood Marshall, is a Caps fan who grew up playing hockey in Washington, D.C., at Fort Dupont Ice Arena.
DCPS chancellor Kaya Henderson, Ward 5 City Council member Harry Thomas Jr. all stopped by the school to check on the progress of the project and talk to volunteers.
Wes Johnson, the Caps public address announcer, emceed the event and Serve DC executive director Patricia Evans helped kick off the day. Hendricks, Boudreau, Marshall, Caps fans and neighborhood volunteers planted a garden, weeded and cleaned up the grounds, painted murals, classrooms and exterior doors, put together a robotics table for the school’s robotics program, created welcome signs, put together goody bags for the students and helped teachers organize classrooms and prepare the school for the first day of classes on Monday.
“It’s great to give back to the community like this and it’s awesome to see our fans come out and support our efforts,” said Hendricks. “Anytime we can benefit our kids, it’s a good thing.”
The Capitals are adopting Thurgood Marshall Elementary School for the 2011-12 school year. The school will be a beneficiary of an upcoming Capitals fundraiser, will be enrolled in the Caps@School program, will host a Capitals Hockey School and will receive a set of street hockey equipment. In addition, the Caps will bring Marshall back to the school during the school year to talk to the students about his career and his father’s legacy. Washington Capitals Charities purchased supplies for the beautification efforts, back-to-school items for each student and will be donating a Smart Board to the school. A Smart Board is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection for user input just like a normal PC.
Hendricks, 30, recently completed his first season with the Capitals. He ranked tied for third on the team with three game-winning goals and set career highs in games played (77), assists (16), points (25) and penalty minutes (110). Hendricks signed as a free agent on Sept. 27, 2010.
DCPS chancellor Kaya Henderson, Ward 5 City Council member Harry Thomas Jr. all stopped by the school to check on the progress of the project and talk to volunteers.
Wes Johnson, the Caps public address announcer, emceed the event and Serve DC executive director Patricia Evans helped kick off the day. Hendricks, Boudreau, Marshall, Caps fans and neighborhood volunteers planted a garden, weeded and cleaned up the grounds, painted murals, classrooms and exterior doors, put together a robotics table for the school’s robotics program, created welcome signs, put together goody bags for the students and helped teachers organize classrooms and prepare the school for the first day of classes on Monday.
“It’s great to give back to the community like this and it’s awesome to see our fans come out and support our efforts,” said Hendricks. “Anytime we can benefit our kids, it’s a good thing.”
The Capitals are adopting Thurgood Marshall Elementary School for the 2011-12 school year. The school will be a beneficiary of an upcoming Capitals fundraiser, will be enrolled in the Caps@School program, will host a Capitals Hockey School and will receive a set of street hockey equipment. In addition, the Caps will bring Marshall back to the school during the school year to talk to the students about his career and his father’s legacy. Washington Capitals Charities purchased supplies for the beautification efforts, back-to-school items for each student and will be donating a Smart Board to the school. A Smart Board is an interactive whiteboard that uses touch detection for user input just like a normal PC.
