99 Fire deliver over 450 coats to Capuchin Services
2009-12-14
The Farmington Hills Fire, 1999 Squirt AA travel hockey team, recently completed a successful "Coats for the Homeless" campaign. The 17 member team gathered over 450 used and new winter coats and delivered them to the Capuchin Services Center in Detroit. The Farmington Hills Fire, 1999 Squirt AA travel hockey team, recently completed a successful "Coats for the Homeless" campaign. The 17 member team gathered over 450 used and new winter coats and delivered them to the Capuchin Services Center in Detroit.
While some boys went door to door collecting used coats, others collected returnable cans and then used the proceeds to purchase new jackets. Goalie Brendan Olepa collected over $120 in refundable cans himself.
A large box was placed at the rink and Farmington Hills Hockey Association families made donations. Thank you to our families for their generous donations!
"Many boys made announcements at their schools and when an otherwise shy boy, stands up in front of his peers to plea for coats, it makes you realize the broad benefits of this project" reflected parent Kelly Fitzgerald. The goal was for the hockey players to do as much of the work as possible, without the help of their parents.
When the team delivered the coats to the Capuchin Service Center on Saturday, November 21, they did more than just drop them off. Instead, the group invested an entire morning to individually hanging each coat up and to learning about the history of the Soup Kitchen and Service Center and the needs of the homeless in Detroit. Mr. George Gaerig, Operations Manager for the Capuchin organization, gladly spoke to the kids about their mission to serve those in need. He also showed the team a video which chronicled the history of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen.
During the movie, the boys listened intently as they learned first-hand how important it is to help those less fortunate. "I wish they listened to me as well as they did during that film!" joked Head Coach Dominic Nieto. "Seriously though, I saw tremendous growth in these boys. Their parents should be very proud. Everyone came together for a common cause and learned that they can do good things beyond wins and losses on the rink."
Later, the team and their parents enjoyed lunch at the Soup Kitchen. During this time, the group was able to dine and socialize with members of the community who benefit from the generosity of the Capuchin organization and its volunteers. It didn't take long for the boys to engage in conversation and a few laughs. Players and parents were humbled as they got to know the people; learn their stories. "In the eyes of a 10 year old, Christmas can be all about gifts, so this year we wanted to make an extra effort to focus on giving to others. In the end, I think the boys received an awesome Christmas gift themselves...the gift of compassion! said team Manager Jane Marthaler. "I'm sure there were many good conversations on the way home."
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