The primary 5K held within the reminiscence of John and Matt Gaudreau helped elevate greater than $500,000, sufficient to interrupt floor later this yr on an accessible playground on the particular training faculty the place the hockey gamers’ mom works.
1000’s attended the Gaudreau Household 5K Stroll /Run and Household Day in Could at Washington Lake Park in southern New Jersey, a spot John and Matthew went tons of of occasions as children and across the nook from Hollydell Ice Enviornment, the place they began taking part in hockey. The 5K drew greater than 1,100 individuals within the stroll, together with greater than 1,100 just about within the U.S., Canada and around the globe.
From cash raised within the stroll, together with contributions made in reminiscence of John and Matt, the monetary aim was met for the deliberate accessible playground at Archbishop Damiano College, the place Jane Gaudreau and her daughter Kristen work. It was a trigger John and Matthew had begun to champion in honor of their grandmother Marie, who spent 44 years on the faculty and died in 2023.
Groundbreaking is scheduled for late August/early September, with Oct. 4 tentatively set for the beginning of a neighborhood construct.
After a quick scare of a twister watch the night time earlier than, the 5K went off with out a hitch.
“Because of the rain, we had so many people we thought might not show up,” Gaudreau mentioned. “But I felt like it was such a great turnout. So many people asked us if we’re going to do it again next year. It just such an outpouring of love and care, so much for the boys in our family.”
To reply the query, sure: The following Gaudreau Household 5K Stroll is tentatively scheduled for Could 16, 2026.
The Gaudreau brothers — John performed 10 full seasons within the NHL with Calgary and Columbus — have been killed final August on the eve of their sister’s marriage ceremony after they have been hit by a suspected drunken driver whereas driving bicycles of their residence state of New Jersey.
The playground initiative was launched by principal Michele McCloskey in October 2020. Elevating the mandatory funds over the past 5 years had been a sluggish construct. So many buddies from the hockey world and others now impressed by the brothers and the trigger have since rallied across the effort.
“We heard so much from everyone how much they appreciated everything (the brothers) did for the community, and so they turned around and helped us out,” Gaudreau mentioned. “We heard a lot of nice stories, a lot of people were just so generous, just wanting to be there for our family and whatever they could do to keep John and Matty’s legacy alive, which is what we wanted from the playground and to go forward from here.”
The Gaudreaus and the workers at Archbishop Damiano threw themselves into fundraising for a contemporary playground that permits for every part from primary wheelchair accessibility to ramps and switch platforms for the scholars. College students tacked their want record for the playground to the partitions inside the varsity. The 5K occasion additionally included a web-based memorabilia public sale that stretched past hockey, with all proceeds donated towards the playground effort and its authentic $600,000 aim.
The brand new space for the playground has been staked out and the gear has been ordered, but there’s nonetheless work forward. The Gaudreaus and the varsity wanted every part from 175 tons of crushed concrete to seashore sand to different development supplies to finish the venture.“It’s just planning out our community build, which we’ll need assistance on,” Gaudreau mentioned.
Archbishop Damiano College was based in 1968 for youngsters with Down syndrome and now supplies providers for 125 college students with particular wants from ages 3 to 21. Jane Gaudreau’s brother attended the varsity and their mom labored there. Jane was employed in 1984 and remains to be a finance affiliate. Kristen, the older daughter, has taught on the faculty for nearly twenty years. Katie, the youthful daughter, who bought married in July, used to help with the children when she might, and the 2 Gaudreau boys volunteered on the faculty after they weren’t taking part in hockey.
