Saves For Kids: SUCCESS!

by RedBirdie on May 7, 2010 3:26 PM EDT

Once again, a huge thank you to everybody: everyone here who participated, J.P., the Caps, Children's, and Jose. Today was an indescribably emotional day.

So, today was donation day, and the Capitals were kind enough to let me tag along, thanks to J.P for setting that up! Jose presented a $35,000 check to the Children's NICU and many of the nurses who cared for his son were on hand.

The little boy there is a former Children's NICU patient. He was quite thrilled to meet his favorite player and show off his jersey. He told us all he plans on being a goalie when he grows up.

Like I said, it was very emotional. There were a lot of misty eyes, mine included.

But here's the picture everyone is waiting for:

Yes, those are our checks! I was able to give Theo $3,000+ today (and I know more is coming). He was very surprised, very grateful, and incredibly touched. Again, misty eyes, and we were both a bit tongue-tied. I can't emphasize enough how thankful Theo is to all of you for your support, both for Saves for Kids and over the course of the season. And he and I really hope we can do it again next season.

This has been such an incredible experience for me, and seeing the look on Theo's face when I told him that all those checks were for Saves For Kids, and they were all from fans, made my heart leap. Because I couldn't have done it without you guys, I hope your hearts leap a little, too.

The Caps will continue to collect donations all through the summer; they anticipate the publicity from today will result in some more donations. If you need that information, you can find it in our end-of-the-season Saves For Kids post. I'll be dropping donations off at the end of every month during the summer, so you still have an opportunity to join us!

The Caps website, CSN, and Caps Insider should all have stuff up later today; I'll keep an eye out and add the links.

and one final time: thank you thank you thank you! This was a true community effort!

Watch: Caps365, CSN Washington

Tweets: @washcaps

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

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Comments

So, so proud.

Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world

by J.P. on May 7, 2010 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

Wow! This is just so amazing. I’m so proud to be a part of this and to think that my check was in that stack. RedBirdie – you are completely awesome to do all the work to make this happen.

Little misty-eyed just reading about this…

by SOIBF Caps on May 7, 2010 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

Awesome job RB.

On the Forecheck/Twitter/CLS
"What do you think this is? Major League Baseball?"- Shea Weber

by Chris Burton on May 7, 2010 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

It felt incredibly good to contribute to this effort. I hope we continue these types of efforts for equally worthy causes.

John Carlson - Glory follows him.

by boutros23 on May 7, 2010 4:01 PM EDT reply actions

Great stuff, RB. I’m real proud of you. I’m just sorry I’m not in a position to contribute right now.

I waited all year for this?

by Rob Parker on May 7, 2010 4:05 PM EDT reply actions

it’s ok, I was once a poor student, too. Next season!

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 7, 2010 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I echo what F&B says.

But grace can still be found within the gale. With fear and reverence, raise your ragged sail.

by Steckel Me Elmo on May 7, 2010 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Of all the pledge drives in which I have participated, this one was the most fun and the most rewarding. It was fun tuning in to each game with my nickel-meter running, and I enjoyed watching all the various combinations of pledges come in, from saves to stars to shutouts to goalie goals. Jose Theodore is an amazing person and I hope that he and Stephanie and Romy feel the love and good vibes radiating their way.

Thank you Robin for starting this project and seeing it through to the end. I hope you also feel all the love radiating your way.

by EmilyB on May 7, 2010 4:05 PM EDT reply actions

On a really crappy Friday, this was exactly what I needed. Awesome.

by CapitalCentre on May 7, 2010 4:11 PM EDT reply actions

added a link to the Capitals video

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 7, 2010 4:41 PM EDT reply actions

Brava and bravo!

(Yes, I know about the avatar hounding - just pretend mine is invisible.)

by oldemystix on May 7, 2010 5:03 PM EDT reply actions

Congratulations. I hope we can do something similar next year.

(and on a side note — Jose is tiny!)

Every bursted bubble has a glory! Each abysmal failure makes a point! Every glowing path that goes astray,shows you how to find a better way. So every time you stumble never grumble. Next time you'll bumble even less!

by STLSpidey on May 7, 2010 5:07 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, he’s really small. Pretty much everyone in the video was taller than him.

Rink Rabbit & newest member of TySlo's fan club.

by caps123 on May 7, 2010 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah. I’m 5’8, just for comparison. he’s rail thin, too. I’m shocked that he can even move with all the goalie gear on!

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 7, 2010 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions

So you were able to give him the checks in person? That’s awesome! Thanks so much for doing all of this. I’m sorry I didn’t contribute (I’m just a kid, and a very poor on at that), but if we do this again next year I will do my share and help the kids. Jose is truly a great guy. I would love to see him back next year. Thanks again for everything!

Rink Rabbit & newest member of TySlo's fan club.

by caps123 on May 7, 2010 5:19 PM EDT reply actions

I did! Many many many thanks are owed to J.P and the Capitals for arranging for it. It pretty much made my year. Jose was so surprised when I told him that all those checks were for him.

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 7, 2010 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Thank you so much for coordinating something like this, Red Birdie. I hope that next season the unemployment will have lifted and I’m able to pledge something more than well wishes.

Looks like I picked the wrong season to stop sniffing glue.

by alex_k on May 7, 2010 5:35 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks for all your hard work.

by miseenjeu on May 7, 2010 5:48 PM EDT reply actions

and thank you for your donation!!!!

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 7, 2010 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Very cool!

"Stop hating and just accept the new Red Jesus into our life." --F&B on 14

by bigeugene on May 7, 2010 7:03 PM EDT reply actions

Mucho kudos to you. I can only imagine how much time you’ve spent on this. Also, kudos to J.P. for supporting the effort.

"You ever use smelling salts, every time you type a bad blog?" Brooks Laich

by Carl Putnam on May 7, 2010 7:12 PM EDT reply actions

I’m a little afraid to see how much time I “wasted” at work the morning after game adding new names to the list and inputting the saves from the night before! But it was worth every single second.

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 7, 2010 9:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Hooray!

by Stephen Pepper on May 7, 2010 11:01 PM EDT reply actions

Your effort in putting together this fundraiser made this a truly rewarding season after all. Great work, Red Birdie!

"It hit me on the pants. I had protection. It felt good. Why? I wanted to win."

by bagace on May 7, 2010 11:22 PM EDT reply actions

ok, updated with a couple new links and corrected pictures. If you come across a mention of Saves for Kids, let me know so i can link it. Channel 7 was there filming, but I haven’t see anything yet, and the Caps took a ton of pictures, including a few of me and Jose.

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 8, 2010 10:39 PM EDT reply actions

Still have the warm fuzzies! :)

by EmilyB on May 8, 2010 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions

GAHHHH :(

I missed it!

RedBirdie, can you contact me privately please?

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

by gotsparkly on May 9, 2010 6:49 PM EDT reply actions

$3+ grand… Nice. It’s just great to see everyone doing good for charity.

Cheers, Complaints, homerism and bashing of mediocre pop musicians in 140 Characters
"DO NOT get stuck behind Kyle Wellwood in the buffet line. This isn't really etiquette, but it will prevent you from starving to death"- Down Goes Brown on Etiquette for Jason Spezza's wedding

by Kevin Sellathamby on May 10, 2010 8:19 AM EDT reply actions

Great job! It got a little misty here in the office.

by Joran on May 10, 2010 12:29 PM EDT reply actions

ok, so a few more things now that I’ve had a couple of days to digest the whole experience! Friday I was pretty much in full on “ohmigod” mode, and spent the weekend sick. anyways….

After Theo presented the big check and did a short little media bit, he met with me (and probably thinking, who the heck is this woman?!). No one warned him ahead of time who I was or what I was there for, he was very surprised when I told him; ok, I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head he was so surprised. Like I said, we both got a little misty-eyed. And I’ve never been so unprepared to have a professional athlete hug me, ever. Like I said, I can’t really put into words just how grateful Theo was to find out so many fans came together to raise funds for this. But it’s something I will never forget. We took so pictures (I’m hoping to get the Caps pictures soon, they had a better camera than me!), and spoke for a little bit about the hockey season (well, the happy parts), Saves for Kids, and the awesomeness of Caps fans (ok, “awesomeness” did not actually occur in the conversation but you get the idea). We hugged, he asked me to thank everyone for their support, and I wished him good luck and thanked him for meeting with me. Oh, and we both hope that we can do it again next season.

and that’s pretty much the whole story. I also spoke with the very lovely people in Caps community relations, who were astounded at our ability to fund-raise, and will keep in contact with them through the summer to make sure all the funds get to them. They’ll cut as many checks as they need to for Children’s, so long as donations keep coming in. We also hope to work together next season (regardless of which charity it would support went unspoken).

you can check out some additional photos in my album. Sorry about the quality. I’m hoping to get a few more from the Caps soon.

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 10, 2010 5:06 PM EDT reply actions 14 recs

Awesome! Thanks again for organizing things.

↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → b a (select) start

by renstar on May 10, 2010 10:55 PM EDT up reply actions

So, so awesome.

"Hockey is my life, wine is my passion." -- Igor Larionov

by Scott in Shaw on May 11, 2010 2:01 AM EDT up reply actions

You are the best!

Thanks for this, RedBirdie. I will send my check to the Caps for Saves for Kids this week, and will let them know it’s a Japers’ Rink/RedBirdie Fan Pledge.

by FlyingCloud on May 11, 2010 7:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks!

Kung-fu Rink Rabbit in a tin-foil hat
Donation info for SAVES FOR KIDS 2010!! Make a difference.

by RedBirdie on May 11, 2010 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Hand-delivered $55 today

While it’s usually difficult to part with my pathetically paltry disposable income, this wasn’t hard at all. For your spreadsheet, I pledged $1 per win (30), plus $25 per shutout (1). Thanks again, RedBirdie.

by FlyingCloud on May 13, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions