Christmas came a little early this year for the students at the Patrick J. Kennedy School in East Boston.
Jumping for Joy. Kennedy School Principal Kristen Goncalves (right) and her staff from the Patrick J. Kennedy School jump with Boston Red Sox mascots Wally and Tessie after the Red Sox Foundation
and Franklin Sports donates new gym equipment to the school.
Last Wednesday morning students got a surprise visit from Red Sox mascots Wally and Tessie and representatives from Franklin Sports bearing gifts.
Kennedy School Principal Kristen Goncalves said the school was taken by surprise by the donation of physical education equipment and the special appearance of Wally and Tessie.
“We really were 100 percent surprised with the donation as the Red Sox Foundation called us the day before to say they had a donation and wanted to surprise the students,” said Goncalves. “The Red Sox Foundation represented that called explained that Franklin Sports had made a major donation of brand-new physical education equipment and wanted to donate it to PJ Kennedy. We of course immediately said ‘Yes, please.’”
This year Franklin Sports, the official Batting Glove of Major League Baseball, announced a three-year agreement with the Boston Red Sox and Red Sox Foundation not only to enhance marketing initiatives, but to collaborate on events like the one at the Kennedy.
“Franklin has long been a supporter of the Red Sox Foundation’s philanthropic efforts, and we are pleased to now extend that partnership to the Red Sox,” said Red Sox Executive Vice President Troup Parkinson. “We couldn’t think of a more natural partner – a local company with ties to MLB and a commitment to the New England community.”
After the event Goncalves realized the Red Sox Foundation and Franklin Sports were spreading holiday cheer through different acts of kindness and using the social media hashtag #giftofsox. “They were all over the city last Wednesday and even taking donation ideas from people who were tweeting and following the hashtag,” explained Goncalves. “We were equally as shocked as we were overjoyed to receive the donation from Franklin Sports through the Red Sox Foundation for an overhaul of our gym equipment. For the students, the experience of beginning school with Wally and Tessie and seeing all of the new equipment left at our building left them buzzing with excitement. I am so happy that we were gifted this donation to contribute to an even stronger health and wellness program for the Kennedy. We now have a healthy variety of equipment to use throughout the year.”
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Jumping for Joy. Kennedy School Principal Kristen Goncalves (right) and her staff from the Patrick J. Kennedy School jump with Boston Red Sox mascots Wally and Tessie after the Red Sox Foundation and Franklin Sports donates new gym equipment to the school.
Boston Red Sox mascots Wally and Tessie bring in the new gym equipment the Red Sox Foundation and Franklin Sports donated to the Patrick J. Kennedy School last week.
Students receive high fives from beloved Boston Red Sox mascot Wally.
Boston Red Sox mascot Tessie greets Patrick J. Kennedy School students as they head into school.