So Kids Can Playground Build! You made this possible!

by RedBirdie on Sep 15, 2011 9:01 PM EDT

Isn't this awesome?!

Today was the So Kids Can playground build day. Rink Rat Timmy came out to help, too, along with a lot of other caps fans and people who just loved the idea of building a playground (if you've never volunteered with KaBoom, I highly recommend it). We started this morning with an empty lot of lots of random stuff--well, not so random, but it looked random--strewn about and some holes in the ground. Five hours later, we had a finished playground plus picnic tables, benches, a kicking mural, and some cool planter/bench/trellises.

Mike Green brought some friends along to help:

Karl Alzner, Nicklas Backstrom, and Joel Ward. They were out there, moving stuff around, raking mulch, painting, the whole nine yards. Plus getting endlessly pestered for photos and autographs.

and this guy says THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PLEDGES!

And a big thank you from me, too, because this truly is a huge group effort each season.

Eliot Segal was also there, running around like a maniac, as he always does. (largely unrelated, but Eliot and I had a great chance to talk about the upcoming Lupus walk. So if you have nothing to do on Oct, 2, come out and join Ted, Eliot, Me, and Mama Birdie!)

and a few more playground pics and one more THANK YOU from me!

Capitals now have a story up. They're supposed to send pictures to volunteers, so I'll add those once I get them.

and VIDEO! not too much building of the playground, but a lot of the kids playing on it.

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

A big THANK YOU back at you, RB, for organizing us (again!) and being able to participate in making this great playground for DC kids (you too, Timmy!).

"You can want to get to April but when you get to April you may not like the answers you get, so you might as well enjoy the ride while it's going on." - Brian McNally on JRR, 8/29/2011

by bagace on Sep 15, 2011 9:21 PM EDT reply actions

Great job – thanks!

He's a better skater than Nick, but he's big in the back[side]...BB

by Backeez Got Back on Sep 16, 2011 6:26 AM EDT reply actions

Very nice!

Rocking the Red for teams on the banks of the Potomac and at the Gateway Arch and Singing the Blues about Hockey.

by CapsFan75 on Sep 16, 2011 7:32 AM EDT reply actions

It was awesome helping out with that. The transformation that took place in just 6 hours was amazing – 200 people all working together can get stuff done fast! I got to work right alongside the Caps guys for the last half of the day, they were right in the mulch raking it out with everyone else.

And I’m a bit surprised that I made it into 2 of those pictures. I’m the one raking in the top picture, and standing near the red tunnel in the 2nd from the bottom.

My mind is all twisted like a peanut.

by timmyv38 on Sep 16, 2011 8:23 AM EDT reply actions

now you’re famous! I promise I was just taking random snap-shots and not stalking you

Caps fans aren’t on the ledge; they’ve already jumped, and are merely trying to drag others into a mournful descent with them..--Stienz

Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground

by RedBirdie on Sep 16, 2011 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions

Nice work. I giggled at the idea that the players needed to wear name tags, though.

Don’t try to figure Sasha out. Just ride the wave.

by gfcaps fan on Sep 16, 2011 9:37 AM EDT reply actions

I wouldn’t have known Ward without it – except that I saw him with all the other Caps. Otherwise though…. easy to spot. Although one girl I was working with didn’t know who Green was.

My mind is all twisted like a peanut.

by timmyv38 on Sep 16, 2011 10:47 AM EDT up reply actions

there were quite a few people who had signed up because they listen to Eliot and just wanted to help out with the build. That surprised me.

Caps fans aren’t on the ledge; they’ve already jumped, and are merely trying to drag others into a mournful descent with them..--Stienz

Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground

by RedBirdie on Sep 16, 2011 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Crossover fans. Love the pics and the amazing work you do. Many many thanks.

by capsyoungguns on Sep 16, 2011 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Nice Job RB and everyone else who contributed or volunteered!

RB next year that pic should show you presenting one of those big checks :)

by sk84fun_dc on Sep 16, 2011 10:02 AM EDT reply actions

if I can brag for a moment….the Fan Club presented a giant check for (I think) $8,900 that they raised from their Christmas Ball sale. Which is great and awesome and all. We raised $3,000+ this past season without selling a single thing and promising nothing beyond some warm fuzzies and a couple of pictures posted online. Because Rink members are awesome and generous (and you guys send incredibly awesome and heartwarming cards! They’re on my desk at work) and simply some of the best people on earth.

which is not to knock the Fan Club at all. I just think Japers’ member are even more awesome!

Caps fans aren’t on the ledge; they’ve already jumped, and are merely trying to drag others into a mournful descent with them..--Stienz

Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground

by RedBirdie on Sep 16, 2011 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Great job in raising the money from Rink members, I am a Fan Club member and I know how much effort they put into getting Christmas ornaments signed by players and selling them at Verizon.. In the past, the money raised by the Fan Club was used to send children to hockey camp. This year, it went to So Kids Can. Between the Fan Club and the Rink, that was $12,000 raised by Caps fans for a good cause.

by NovaCath on Sep 17, 2011 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions

Fantastic! Now I’m even more jealous that the sign-up list had closed by the time I tried to register. Hopefully, they will do something like this again.

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

by oldemystix on Sep 16, 2011 10:42 AM EDT reply actions