Foxboro Recreation's Booth Program Visits Patriots Training Camp

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – A group of nearly 30 children from Foxboro Recreation’s Booth Summer Program enjoyed a memorable day at New England Patriots Training Camp on Monday, Aug. 11, as special guests of the Kraft family and the Patriots Charitable Foundation.

The children, ages 8-13, watched excitedly from the front row of the Patriots Charitable Foundation tent as the Patriots players participated in various drills throughout the afternoon practice session. One of the Booth program’s participants, Abigayle Danitschek, 10, was excited to attend her first training camp practice and see Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.

“He was one of the first football players I ever heard of and he visited my school,” Danitschek said of Gronkowski. “That was really special.”

Gronkowski joined Patriots CEO and Chairman Robert Kraft and several other Patriots players for a visit to Igo Elementary School in May as part of the NFL’s first PLAY 60 and PLAY 60+ intergenerational event. Kraft and the Patriots Charitable Foundation surprised Igo Elementary School students with a grant for $60,000 to build a new community playground.

“That was a fun day and I am very excited to see Gronk and the other players who visited my school,” said Danitschek. “I’m grateful that I get to be here and have this experience.”

Kyleigh Travers, 10, agreed with Danitschek as she tried to spot her favorite player, cornerback Alfonzo Dennard.

“I really hope I get to see him today,” Travers said. “I have been babysitting his kids for over a year.”

Others debated which Patriots players they should draft on their fantasy football teams and offered their own scouting reports on Gronkowski, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and running back Stevan Ridley.

At the end of practice, the group was greeted by Patriots players, including defensive end Chandler Jones, who posed for selfies and signed autographs for the young fans from Foxborough.