Patriots Bring Football Clinic to Newtown, CT on May 18

The Kraft family, New England Patriots Charitable Foundation (NEPCF) and the New England Patriots Alumni Club (NEPAC) will bring their signature “Football for You” one-day free youth clinic to Newtown, Conn. on May 18.

The clinic kicks off the first of seven clinics that will take place throughout New England this summer and marks the first time the clinic will visit Connecticut.
 
“Our hearts broke for the Newtown community and their families as we learned of the tragedy this past December,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “We admire the Newtown community for their strength and look forward to continuing our support.”
 
During the clinic, current and former Patriots players will gather at the Newtown High School football field to share their football expertise with hundreds of Newtown youth in skill stations including blocking, receiving and punting. The day will also include an ongoing Patriots-themed activity zone that will feature food, games and prizes for the Newtown community to enjoy.
 
Following the clinic, participants and community members will join Patriots representatives in honoring the community of Newtown and those affected by the tragedy during a program and commemorative ceremony.
 
Clinic participation is free of charge and same-day registrations are welcome. Each child will receive a T-shirt and Patriots gift bag. Registration will open on April 22 at www.patriots.com/community. All “Football for You” youth will participate as part of the NFL’s Play 60 initiative, which promotes healthy living among young fans. The Newtown High School football field is located at 12 Berkshire Road in Newtown, Conn.
 
The May 18 football clinic signals the Patriots’ ongoing support of the Newtown community in the wake of the December 2012 tragedy. to help those affected by the tragedy and privately spread some holiday cheer to a few Newtown families in need.

In addition, the Patriots underlined their support in several ways during the Dec. 16 Patriots vs. 49ers home game. In-game remembrances included each player wearing a decal on their helmet, each cheerleader and the Pat Patriot mascot wearing black armbands and a special 26-second moment of silence with 26 flares launched one at a time.

The players wore the decals on their helmets in remembrance of the victims for the remainder of the year. The Kraft family and New England Patriots Charitable Foundation also hosted 13 Sandy Hook first responders, who were honored on the field in personalized Patriots jerseys prior to participating in team introductions.

For nearly 20 years, the Kraft family has had a unique connection to the Newtown community through owning and operating Rand-Whitney Newtown, a manufacturer of corrugated boxes, located two miles from Sandy Hook Elementary School that has several long-standing employees who are Newtown residents.