By John Ingoldsby | Engagement Insider
The New England Patriots found the perfect antidote last night to get over its surprising loss Sunday to the Miami Dolphins.
The team turned out in force to give back for a good cause by supporting teammate Jerod Mayo as he hosted his 5th Annual Mayo Bowl to benefit the Boston Medical Center.
Held at a shopping & entertainment complex outside Boston, the Red Carpet outside the upscale bowling facility was pure Hollywood as the likes of Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork were joined by scores of teammates before a big enthusiastic crowd of onlookers.
Inside was no different, as the large energetic throng both bowled and bid on auction items, spurred on at the end of the evening when Mayo and Wilfork were joined by teammate Devin McCourty in channeling their inner auctioneer to raise thousands of extra dollars for this worthy cause.
“It’s a great time for a great cause that I truly believe in, and I am very proud of how this event has grown since I never thought it could become this big,” exclaimed Mayo. “I learned the meaning of giving back from (team owner) Bob Kraft and his late wife Myra, which we all learn as you can see by all my teammates supporting me here tonight.”
Not only current teammates, but former ones like Tedy Bruschi and Joe Andruzzi, and not only Patriots, but other local stars of Boston sports like Jared Sullinger of the Celtics, and even Miss Rhode Island and Miss Maine.
But make no mistake, it was the sheer support of fellow Patriots that bowled everyone over, and included among others, Julian Edelman, Don’t’a Hightower, Chandler Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Kyle Arrington, Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Dan Connolly, Patrick Chung, Matthew Slater, Jamie Collins, Joe Vellano, Alfonzo Dennard, Marcus Thigpen, Marcus Cannon, Brandon Bolden, Josh Boyce, and the newest teammate, Tim Wright, who got an early lesson in the Patriot Way after recently arriving from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But not surprisingly it was the old guard led by Wilfork who captured the evening best.
“We are like a family who come out here every year to show our appreciation to the community, and it is not much to ask of players,” said the nose tackle who is one of the team captains. “Jerod and I are from similar backgrounds, so we are like family in wanting to give back.”
His fellow veteran Kyle Arrington echoed those sentiments by saying, “We are not just players on the field, but players in the community as well, and we all want to give back by being supportive of Jerod in this cause.”
A very meaningful cause since the Boston Medical Center “provides health services to all in need of care regardless of status or ability to pay.”
A mission so important to Mayo and his wife Chantel that he has put himself out there by publicly pledging to raise $1.2 million over the next three years for the institution and its expertise in pediatric care.
Given the glamour and growth of this signature event on the Boston sports calendar, it’s safe to say that Mayo will meet this goal with the same impact that he meets opposing ball carriers.